Letter to Hon. Gerry McCarthy MLA from Priscilla Collins Chief Executive Officer North Australian Aboriginal Justice Agency NAAJA's response to the New Era in Corrections dated 23 February 2011
Tabled paper 1429
Tabled Papers for 11th Assembly 2008 - 2012; Tabled Papers; ParliamentNT
2011-08-09
Tabled By Gerald McCarthy
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https://www.legislation.gov.au/Details/C2019C00042
https://hdl.handle.net/10070/281181
https://hdl.handle.net/10070/415143
lengthy periods of silence. This has the potential to perpetuate or mask misunderstandings, and to undermine the building of a positive, open relationship between the Supervisory Officer and the client. Wherever possible, education, reintegration and rehabilitation programs should be provided on community or the closest Territory Town. If this is not possible, Corrections should assist with travel and accommodation for both the person and family support. ' More Rehabilitation and Targeted Programs Recommendation 3: A Supported Accommodation and Treatment Centre should be made available in the Darwin region, with particular attention being given to violent offenders and young offenders Strategy 2.4.1 of the NILJF suggests governments should aim to [i]lncrease the availability and scope of effective rehabilitative interventions to holistically respond to the causal (risk, needs and responsivity) factors that drive ongoing offending behaviour amongst Indigenous women, men and youth. There is a severe shortage of rehabilitation and supported accommodation programs in the Darwin region. The Government's commitment to funding an additional five alcohol and other drug treatment beds in the Darwin region is not adequate to meet the,needs of the Darwin offending population. Accordingly, we suggest that an analogous facility to the proposed Alice Springs Supported Accommodation and Treatment Centre should be funded in the Darwin region. Similar to Alice Springs, this could be located in the vicinity of the new Doug Owston Correctional Centre. We support diverting driving offenders from custodial sentences into meaningful rehabilitation and training programs. Likewise, we support the implementation of the intensive driver offender program. However we have concerns that without a Supported Accommodation and Treatment Centre, people in the Darwin region will not have access to this initiative. We therefore query whether Governments goal of reducing the 25% of prisoners who are currently in custody for driving related offences, will be achieved. Similarly, we support the proposed remand diversion program. However, we have concerns that without a Supported Accommodation and Treatment Centre, people on remand in the Top End region will not have access to this rehabilitative initiative. In addition to advocating for a Darwin based Supported Accommodation and Treatment Centre, NAAJA supports the development and funding of a specific rehabilitation service for violent offenders and for young people. 5