Reducing incarceration using

Justice Reinvestment:

an exploratory case study

SEGRA Conference, Bathurst, NSW 11.00am to 11.30am, Wednesday 21st October 2015

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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