Page 249 - Week 01 - Thursday, 15 February 2018
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system. As prison is by far the most expensive part of our current justice system, a critical step of justice reinvestment is examining how to invest in growing our support programs instead of growing our prison population numbers.
The first trial, Yarrabi Bamirr, involves working with Winnunga, using a family-centric service support model for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander families to improve life outcomes and reduce or prevent contact with the criminal justice system. The second, working with the Aboriginal Legal Service, is the bail support service, Ngurrambai, which is designed to reduce the number of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people on remand and reduce the amount of time spent on remand. These initiatives will be evaluated and used to inform future initiatives.
Turning to the corrections portfolio, one of my main priorities this year is to deliver on the remaining recommendations arising from the independent inquiry into the management and care of Steven Freeman, known as the Moss review. It made eight specific recommendations and one overarching recommendation that seeks to address a number of other conclusions and suggestions relating to the justice system more broadly.
Recommendations 1, 2, 3 and 4 have been completed and substantial work continues on the remaining recommendations. As promised in the government response to the review, I will deliver a ministerial statement and table an annual report in the Assembly next week. This will provide an update on significant reforms that have taken place in ACT Corrective Services, other government directorates and statutory office holders around the provision of health and custodial services at the AMC.
The Moss review recognised the significant proportion of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander detainees at the AMC and concluded that there is a need to better integrate Winnunga Nimmityjah Aboriginal Health Service to provide a holistic approach to health care at the AMC in a culturally safe way. In November 2017 a new partnership approach commenced with Winnunga and ACT Corrective Services to establish emotional wellbeing and support services to female detainees. In 2018 this will be expanded to include male detainees.
Effective independent oversight is important to build and maintain public confidence in the ACT’s corrections system. In specific response to recommendation 8 of the Moss review, and due to the unique make-up of the ACT’s correctional system and growing population pressures, I determined that a new model of oversight was required.
The Inspector of Correctional Services Act 2017, passed in the Legislative Assembly last year, establishes the role of the independent inspector and provides the inspector with the necessary powers and functions to promote the continuous improvement of correctional centres and services. We are currently in the final stages of appointing the inspector, and the inspectorate will be operational shortly after appointment. The inspectorate will provide an oversight framework that seeks to prevent ill-treatment and adverse events in custody and conduct systemic reviews, as well as reviews of critical incidents. It will draw on best practice preventive oversight frameworks nationally and internationally.
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