Engaging With Your Local Gaols Geoffrey Tremelling Legal Aid NSW

Prisoners Legal Service Bail Bail Legal aid applications Legal aid applications Appeals Appeals Classification and other prison issues Classification and other prison issues Parole hearings Parole hearings Life sentence determinations Life sentence determinations Segregation appeals Segregation appeals Visiting justice hearings Visiting justice hearings

Role of the civil outreach solicitor Provide civil law services to prisoners Provide civil law services to prisoners Facilitate referrals Facilitate referrals Conduct CLE Conduct CLE Build stakeholder relationships Build stakeholder relationships Casework Casework

Who are my clients? Total (M) 9,562 (F) 757 (TOTAL) Total (M) 9,562 (F) 757 (TOTAL) Indigenous offenders comprise a large percentage of the inmate population: (M) 21.8% (F) 28.4% (T) 22.3% Indigenous offenders comprise a large percentage of the inmate population: (M) 21.8% (F) 28.4% (T) 22.3% 60% of inmates are not functionally literate or numerate 60% of inmates are not functionally literate or numerate 18% of women and 27% of men scored below the pass rate on the intellectual disability screener 18% of women and 27% of men scored below the pass rate on the intellectual disability screener Under educated - 60% did not complete year 10 Under educated - 60% did not complete year 10

Who are my clients? 64% have no stable family 64% have no stable family Most inmates are financially compromised Most inmates are financially compromised 67% of women and 44% men reached the referral criteria for major depression 67% of women and 44% men reached the referral criteria for major depression 33% women and 26% men scored positive on the schizophrenia scale. 33% women and 26% men scored positive on the schizophrenia scale. 54% of women and 37% of men had thought about suicide; 39% of women and 21% of men had made a suicide attempt. This compares with the total population, where 16% of people have thought about suicide and 3.6% have made an attempt 54% of women and 37% of men had thought about suicide; 39% of women and 21% of men had made a suicide attempt. This compares with the total population, where 16% of people have thought about suicide and 3.6% have made an attempt

Development / implementation of the outreach service Met with Aboriginal Elders in the local community Met with Aboriginal Elders in the local community Met the MOSP (Manager, Services and Programs) and Aboriginal Mentors Met the MOSP (Manager, Services and Programs) and Aboriginal Mentors Invited Elders & staff at the CCs to make their own suggestions / ideas Invited Elders & staff at the CCs to make their own suggestions / ideas Implementation Implementation

The key difficulties of providing civil law advice in prisons Prisoner capacity Prisoner capacity Prison culture Prison culture Back on Track Back on Track

Common civil problems Personal injury / victims comp Personal injury / victims comp Injury and illness in prison Injury and illness in prison Personal property Personal property Proceeds of crime / forfeiture orders Proceeds of crime / forfeiture orders Debt / fines / bankruptcy Debt / fines / bankruptcy Housing Housing Migration Migration

Ways your CLC could help your local inmate population Conduct regular outreach Conduct regular outreach Share a visits calendar with Legal Aid Share a visits calendar with Legal Aid Develop a by appointment phone advice service through welfare or transfers from LawAccess Develop a by appointment phone advice service through welfare or transfers from LawAccess Run the Back on Track Program Run the Back on Track Program

Building capacity - Resources & training Back on Track – DVDs Back on Track – DVDs Back on Track - Posters Back on Track - Posters Back on Track – Certificate of attendance Back on Track – Certificate of attendance Civil law issues and prisoners workshops series Civil law issues and prisoners workshops series DCS Security awareness DCS Security awareness Aboriginal, ID, Mental Illness & Drug awareness courses Aboriginal, ID, Mental Illness & Drug awareness courses

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