during and after prison
to coordinate and access all the services they
need or are compelled to attend as conditions on
bail, Community Corrections Orders or parole.
An inability to do so ultimately results in women
reoffending.
I have suffered from panic attacks and
have ended up reoffending as I can't
cope with the outside world.'
or reoffending is essential. Such support needs to
be creative, quick, flexible and responsive. Koori
women at risk of, or in contact with the criminal
justice system want regular, predictable access
to supports that are individualised and recognise
the unique challenges they face. This involves
shifting the focus in service delivery towards the
whole person's wellbeing, including their cultural
wellbeing.
taken away their sense of independence and
therefore, upon release from prison they lack
confidence in basic life skills and their ability to
navigate the outside world.
transition and preparing for release much earlier
than is currently the case. They wanted to see
services that they have accessed prior to and in
prison, better coordinated with services exiting
prison.
they could build a relationship with and so be more
likely to stay engaged and motivated. They wanted
this to include Community Corrections, Parole,
Department of Human Services, including housing
services, Aboriginal community services such as
Connecting Home, drug and alcohol, counselling
and family support.
a separation from all they have known,
so there is a real sense of loss. It has
a real impact on how people conduct
themselves when they are released.
This is compounded as there are not
effective post prison supports. It is also
difficult to reintegrate upon release,
re-employment statistics are low,
housing is at risk. Even short custodial
periods puts housing and employment
in jeopardy.
times the rate of non-Koori women.
offending, as victims become perpetrators.
survivors of trauma and family violence increased
under AJA2 and other initiatives,
services to assist Koori women who are dealing
with the effects of trauma and family violence prior
to involvement with the justice system.
strong support among research participants for
Koori-specific community-based programs "to
help women deal with the effects of violence and
to help women develop alternative strategies for
coping with violence in the future".
Key informant interview, Victorian Aboriginal Legal
Service, 15 November 2012.
National Congress of Australia's First Peoples, `Justice
Reinvestment Approach', above n 201, 12.
State of Victoria, Department of Justice, `AJA2', above
n 24, 18; Harry Blagg, `Aboriginal women and justice',
above n 108, 13-14.
Australian Human Rights Commission, Ending family
violence and abuse in Aboriginal and Torres Strait
Islander communities Key issues (2006). <http://
www.humanrights.gov.au/publications/ending-family-
violence-and-abuse-aboriginal-and-torres-strait-
islander-communities-key> at 18 July 2013.