Making Prisons Even More Obsolete!
SISTERS INSIDE SPECIAL CIRCUMSTANCES COURT DIVERSION PROGRAM
“ Sisters Inside workers and the Special Circumstance Court (SCCrt) Program have turned my life around. I am now high on life ! I can now see the moon and the stars.”
THE SPECIAL CIRCUMSTANCES COURT Aims to work with people to address the underlying causes of their criminal behaviour. Sentencing options include intensive support around dealing with the issues contributing to the offending. Avoids giving fines.
PROGRAM OVERVIEW 1 Full Time & 1 Part-time Staff Committed to providing customised service to each woman Approx. 250 participants over the past 3 years Every Wednesday, Thursday & Friday
AIMS AND OBJECTIVES o Walk alongside the women o Provide support and bridging resources o To increase access and assist them to achieve whatever needs are important to them o Ongoing support to feel & be safe and supported o To introduce women to specific services o To introduce and encourage participation in other SIS programs
UNIQUE FEATURES Opportunistic Unstructured Own pace, Own time Highly intensive
PRACTICES UNDERPINNING PROGRAM TRUST RESPECT &
Respect Women as Equal __________________________ Respect Women as experts in their own life __________________________ Respect Women’s decisions about their own needs __________________________ Respect Women’s context and culture __________________________ Respect Women’s space PRACTICES UNDERPINNING PROGRAM
All decisions are driven by the woman Authentic Consistent Truthful Admit to mistakes Step out of comfort zone Never breach confidentiality Never reject a woman PRACTICES UNDERPINNING PROGRAM
How do they become involved in Special Circumstances Court?
“If it wasn’t for the Special Circumstances Court & you (SIS worker) I would be dead ” SUCCESSES
Achieve Reward The court focuses on addressing the causes of criminalisati on. CRITICAL SUCCESS FACTOR #1 Change Support
As one magistrate said… “I sometimes see people who have finished their sentence standing at the back of the court and I think ‘Oh no’… But they have just come in to say hello. One lady who was re-engaging with study after 30 years was having trouble with her homework….so she came in to court looking for help and we were able to get together and sort something out.” CRITICAL SUCCESS FACTOR #1
The Sisters Program is the GLUE in the relationship between women and the Court. CRITICAL SUCCESS FACTOR #2
The Sisters Inside Inclusive Support Model contributes towards a woman achieving her set goals. CRITICAL SUCCESS FACTOR #3 I CAN’T I CAN I WILL I DID!
RECIDIVISM 4% of participants were imprisoned for new offences 1 for hospital treatment 3 asked to go back to prison 2 imprisoned due to pre- existing charges outside the SCCrt.
FISCAL BENEFITS Average prison cost = $10,818 per woman SIS SCCrt over three years = $1,875
BARRIERS TO OPTIMUM SERVICE DELIVERY Unreasonable expectations by key service providers Lack of essential services
BARRIERS TO OPTIMUM SERVICE DELIVERY It is when these fundamental human rights are met, that women will feel free to move forward with their lives!
CONCLUSION Imprisonment does harm to women and children Imprisonment compounds problems already faced and puts additional demands on other essentials to life Paying attention HAS TO BE more effective and efficient It is an investment in crime prevention
THANK YOU!