NCJ Number
187976
Date Published
2000
Length
9 pages
Annotation
This paper profiles Queensland's (Australia) Women's Community Custody Program, whose objective is to provide an environment for the graduated resettlement of female inmates back into the community.
Abstract
The program oversees the Helana Jones Community Corrections Centre and the Warwick women's work camp. The program manages between 35 and 38 women and their children. The purpose of the work camp is to assist local communities with voluntary work projects and assist in the rehabilitation of offenders by establishing positive links within a small community and promoting a positive work ethic. Offenders admitted to the program are transferred to the work camp from Helana Jones Centre after they have been fully assessed for their suitability. The program enhances employment opportunities by encouraging women to undertake and complete training programs such as horticulture, landscaping, basic welding and woodworking, and working with special-needs children. A community advisory committee has been established to assess and allocate appropriate work projects. Data obtained from interviews with departmental staff, stakeholders, and participating women offenders indicate that the program has been successful in helping women prepare for release to the community, in assisting in rehabilitation, and in assisting in reducing recidivism. The community-based agency, however, believed that the program was not successful in achieving such goals. All of the data examined suggest that there is a need for a wider diversity of work projects that would have more direct links to the labor market. 2 references