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Reducing incarceration using
Justice Reinvestment:
an exploratory case study
SEGRA Conference, Bathurst, NSW 11.00am to 11.30am, Wednesday 21st October 2015
1
.
A framework for rethinking the criminal
justice system so large sums of taxpayer money aren’t spent imprisoning people for
low-level criminal activity.
Political decision to re-invest that money back into community.
Justice Reinvestment
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Justice Reinvestment
Involves all levels of government (Commonwealth, State, local),
non-government organisations, service providers, education, health, commercial &
justice sectors.
Justice Reinvestment
Facilitates a policy and fiscal framework …
Broader ecological, social & political systems
Invests in social inclusion
Retains detention as measure of last resort
Justice Reinvestment NOT just a program or a collection of programs
A systems approach
Involves: Governments at all levels (Commonwealth, State, local)
Non-government organisations
Indigenous governance structures
Community organisations
Service providers
education, health, police, employment, housing, judiciary
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Research study site: Cowra, NSW, 2794
• Has a stable population
• Middle range crime profile
• Doesn’t have a prison (not relying on prison as economic base)
• Research team has good links with the community
• Geographically close to ANU/Canberra
• Proud and historic Indigenous population (through Erambie), 7% Indigenous population (higher than national average of 2.5%)
National Centre for Indigenous Studies
Why Cowra?
.
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In context of this particular study –
An underlying philosophy of JR is that it is the
community that ‘reclaims’ an individual as
‘belonging’ to that community
− a community development approach.
Researchers NCIS colleagues Research Reference group
Prof Tony Butler A/Prof Cressida Fforde
Cowra Aboriginal Land Council (Mr Les Coe, Ms Nioka Coe)
Prof Tom Calma Dr Bill Fogarty Cowra Shire Council (Mayor - Cr Bill West, Cr Ruth Fagan, Mr Peter Devery)
Dr Phyll Dance Ms Corinne Walsh Dr Lawry Bamblett
Prof Mick Dodson Mr Len Kanowski Prof Pene Mathew (ANU Human Rights lawyer & academic)
Dr Jill Guthrie Dr Melissa Lovell Prof Todd Clear (US-based JR academic)
Prof Michael Levy Dr Fleur Adcock Judge Peter Johnstone (President, NSW Children’s Court)
Dr Kamalini Lokuge
Prof Lisa Strelein
Who’s involved?
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The research project
‘Reducing incarceration using Justice Reinvestment: an exploratory case study’
• A hypothetical study to test the theory & methodology of Justice Reinvestment
– not an intervention study
• Participatory action research
To test the research methodology of Justice Reinvestment
1. Identify what’s needed to keep young people in town, and to
return and retain young people to town
Determine what monies are spent on incarceration that could be reinvested into community-based resources to enhance young peoples’ lives.
2. Community deliberates on how those monies could be reinvested
Aims & objectives of research project
Courtesy visit ̶ December 2012
Land Council/Shire Council/researchers meeting ̶ Mar 2013
Planning meeting ̶ Apr 2013
Stakeholder Forum ̶ May 2013
Stakeholder Forum ̶ Dec 2013
Recruitment launch ̶ Mar 2014
Business Chamber meeting ̶ June 2014
Land Council/Shire Council/researchers meeting ̶ Nov 2014
Community Forum facilitators (Prof Mick Dodson,Cr Ruth
Fagan) meeting ̶ May 2015
Community/stakeholder forum ̶ May 2015
Youth workshop ̶ July 2015
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Community Engagement
Ethics approvals ANU protocol 2012/712 (stakeholder interviews) Commonwealth Department of Human Services NSW Government: Education & Communities Working with Children checks (7 issued)
Catholic Education Office, Bathurst Headspace NSW Attorney General’s Department ANU (variation to protocol 2012/712) (YP interviews) NSW Correctional Services NSW Department of Juvenile Justice
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Community Forum, December 2013
Meet with Business Chamber
June 2014
http://www.cowrabusinesschamber.com.au/index.html
Members understood aims & objectives of research
Keen to be involved
Understood how YP make unwise decisions in their early years
Those decisions should not be allowed to taint YP for rest of their lives.
“…even older, experienced people make mistakes …”
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The Cowra Guardian
Rethinking the justice system, 05/06/2013
Keeping young people out of jail, 10/01/2014
Research project launches to keep young people out of jail, 28/03/2014
Breaking the cycle, 25/04/2014
Passionate about working with young people, 11/06/2014
Chamber hosts ANU researchers, 30/06/2014
Cowra youth study to benefit community, 8/09/2014
Former Australian of the Year to co-chair Justice Reinvestment forum in 2015,
3/12/2014
Justice Reinvestment project entering its final year, 20/05/2015
Justice-reinvestment form helps community focus on finding better outcomes
10/06/2015
Community engagement
Engagement & Interviews Young people: focus groups 62
Young people: interviews 14
Service providers (interviews & focus groups) 32
Business Chamber 7
Parents 4
Erambie Community meeting approx 30
Young people in adult corrections 16+ years (NSWCS) 29 packs sent
Young people in juvenile detention 16+ years (DJJ) 13 packs sent
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Planning for May 2015 Forum
Cowra Shire Council offices, August 2014
L to R: Cr Bill West (Mayor), Geoffrey Steele, JG, Lawry Bamblett, ML, Les Coe, Michael Levy
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Planning May 2015 Forum Meeting in Canberra, November 2014
L to R: Les Coe, Geoffrey Steele, JG, Corinne Walsh, Cr Bill West (Mayor), ML, Cr Ruth Fagan, Phyll Dance
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Stakeholder Forum, Cowra, May 2015
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Facilitated by Prof Mick Dodson & Councillor Ruth Fagan
• Inform community of analysis of interviews with stakeholders,
parents, young people, service providers, routinely collected data
• Stakeholders deliberate on next steps in a JR framework
• What is the ‘JR-amenable’ direct cost of incarcerating
your citizens over past 10 years?
Stakeholder Forum, May 2015
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Project continues until April 2016
Reflections on research so far
Very positive responses from all community people (fascinated that anyone should be interested in their town) and all research bureaucrats involved (fascinated by research methodology) Don’t underestimate how long it takes to develop trust, relationships, understandings, ethics, methods, for community-based research project
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The abiding message with any
community-driven project:
H-A-S-T-E-N S-L-O-W-L-Y
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