ICPA Annual Conference 2024

Call for Papers

Call for Papers is closed now.

Across the world, corrections agencies, academics, and corrections-involved organisations are embracing philosophies of desistance. For decades, psychological approaches have formed the basis of correctional programming where the goals of changing thoughts and attitudes and ‘fixing’ people who have offended have been given more attention than addressing the social, contextual, and structural barriers that exist upon release. The people we manage in custody and the community require support to develop the capacities and motivation to live differently and the opportunities to find resources to sustain a different life. The complex and interrelated factors that impact on an individual’s journey to desistance necessitates deep investigation and consideration.

For its 2024 Annual Conference in Singapore, the International Corrections and Prisons Association (ICPA) invites individuals, agencies, and organisations to submit proposals, focusing on the theme of Enabling Desistance: Beyond Recidivism. Through this theme, we will explore the factors throughout the criminal justice, prison, and post-release landscapes that impact on achieving long-term desistance.

We welcome submissions from practitioners, academics, researchers, justice officials, international organizations, and others engaged in correctional services who are contributing to the future directions of corrections. Please note that private and not-for-profit organisations are strongly encouraged to consider co-presenting with public sector partners where appropriate.

Of particular interest are practice examples, underpinning policies, programs, research, and case studies in the following areas:

Examples of ‘best practice’ and achieving outcomes within global guidelines, including the Mandela and Bangkok Rules.
Listening to the voices of people with lived experience.
Health and mental health of people in custody and community.
Supporting people to maintain and build social capital.
Removing barriers to independence following release from custody through access to employment and housing.
Impact of purposeful activity and release preparation in prison.
Promoting individual agency and responsibility.
Reducing the harms of incarceration.
Rehabilitation programs (in-prison and in-community), both criminogenic and general.
Minimising social dislocation by maintaining connections to families, community through support and volunteer networks.
Post-release support and the intersection with other government and/or non-government agencies to further support former incarcerated persons’ rehabilitation and reintegration into the community.
Impact of prison and community corrections staff culture, training, and attitudes on the desistance outcomes of formerly incarcerated individuals and people on community-based orders.
Holistic responses to incarceration and release, with consideration to families, victims, and communities impacted by offending behaviour.
Meeting the needs of specific populations, including women, culturally and linguistically diverse people, LGBTQI+ / transgender people, and indigenous people.
Managing pre-trial / remand populations and the impact of this time on access to programs and supports in-prison.
The capacity for technology to support desistance.
New ways of measuring success beyond two-year recidivism rates.

All submissions require speaker and co-speaker biographies and photos, an abstract, and an abstract overview. Please carefully read the submission guidelines and include all elements when submitting. Submissions that do not include all elements may not be considered.

Call for Papers is closed now.

Presentation Formats

Papers will be selected for presentation in the following formats:

Plenary – a main presentation to which all conference participants are invited;

Workshop – up to six 90 minute workshop sessions are held in parallel. Each session may contain one presentation (90 minutes), two presentations (45 minutes each) or three presentations (30 minutes each).

Innovative approaches to the presentation of the papers and to the interaction and engagement of participants is encouraged. This may include panel discussions, use of small groups, electronic media/videos, structured questions, polls and other suitable interactive approaches. Presenters are asked to identify their preferred presentation format and how they might interact with the audience. The final determination with respect to presentation type will be made by the Programme Committee. Please note that the programme includes several 30 minute workshops, requests for longer presentation times may not be approved.

Timescales

22 January - 31 March 2024

Call for Paper is open

3 May 2024

Plenary sessions confirmed and presenters notified

10 May 2024

Workshop papers confirmed and primary speakers notified

19 June 2024
Notification of date and time allocation (30, 45 or 90 minutes)

Please note that the Programme Committee may also consider your submission for a poster.