ASSESSMENT AND ORIENTATION - PROCEDURES, POLICIES AND PHILOSOPHY IN WESTERN AUSTRALIA

• NCJ Number: 45794
• Journal: Australian and New Zealand Journal of Criminology Volume: 10 Issue: 4 Dated: (DECEMBER 1977) Pages: 223-232
• Author(s): C R FOLEY-JONES; P J BOYES
• Date Published: 1977
• Length: 10 pages
• Corporate Author: Australian and New Zealand Soc of Criminology; Butterworth Pty Ltd
• Publication Format: Article
• Language: English
• Country: Australia

Annotation

THE DEVELOPMENT, OBJECTIVES, AND IMPLEMENTATION OF AN INNOVATIVE INMATE ASSESSMENT AND ORIENTATION PROGRAM INSTITUTED BY THE WESTERN AUSTRALIA DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS IS DESCRIBED.

Abstract

THE PROGRAM WAS DESIGNED AS A POLICY TOOL AIMED AT CHANGING DEPARTMENT ATTITUDES BY PROMOTING PHILOSOPHICAL PREMISES WHICH REJECT THE TRADITIONAL PATERNALISTIC PSEUDOMEDICAL TREATMENT APPROACH IN FAVOR OF INMATE-MOTIVATED PARTICIPATION IN REHABILITATION ACTIVITIES. ADDITIONAL PROGRAM OBJECTIVES INCLUDED DECENTRALIZATION OF ASSESSMENT, INCREASED PARTICIPATION OF UNIFORMED OFFICERS, ESTABLISHMENT OF SEPARATE RESEARCH AND DECISIONMAKING DATA BASES, CONTINUING REASSESSMENT AND REORIENTATION THROUGH INMATE REVIEWS, AND CONTINUING EVALUATION AND AMENDMENT OF THE PROGRAM. THE PROGRAM STAFF IS COMPOSED OF A SMALL PERMANENT ASSESSMENT STAFF, SUPPLEMENTED BY INTERESTED OFFICERS WHO WORK ON A CASELOAD BASIS PROVIDING INFORMATION TO INMATES WHILE COLLECTING INFORMATION FOR THE ASSESSMENT. AN ADMISSION CHECKLIST IS ADMINISTERED TO ALL INMATES TO ASCERTAIN SPECIAL PROBLEMS AND NEEDS ARISING FROM INCARCERATION. LONG-TERM PRISONER ASSESSMENTS, ARE MORE COMPREHENSIVE THAN SHORT-TERM PRISONER ASSESSMENTS, HOWEVER DOCUMENTS FOR THE ASSESSMENT OF BOTH TYPES OF PRISONER CLASSIFICATIONS ALLOW FOR DATA COLLECTION IN THE AREAS OF IDENTIFICATION, MANAGEMENT, SECURITY RATING, CHARACTER DESCRIPTION, CORRECTIONAL HISTORY, AND OFFICIAL RECOMMENDATIONS. SPECIAL INFORMATION SHEETS AND ASSESSMENT AND ORIENTATION REVIEW FORMS ARE ALSO MAINTAINED. THE PROGRAM HAS BEEN IN OPERATION SINCE 1975. ALTHOUGH INITIAL RESISTANCE TO PROGRAM IMPLEMENTATION AND ATTITUDE CHANGE WAS ENCOUNTERED, THE PROGRAM HAS SINCE GAINED ENTHUSIASTIC ACCEPTANCE, AND MANY OF THE RATIONALES BEHIND PROGRAM COMPONENTS HAVE BEEN VALIDATED: UNIFORMED OFFICERS HAVE EXPRESSED GREATER INTEREST IN INMATES AND GREATER JOB SATISFACTION; AWARENESS OF THE AIMS AND POLICIES OF THE CORRECTIONS DEPARTMENT HAS IMPROVED; AND INMATES HAVE FOUND THE INFORMATION THEY RECEIVED USEFUL AND HAVE EXPRESSED A LESS IMPERSONAL CONCEPTION OF THE INSTITUTION. REFERENCES ARE INCLUDED. (JAP)