Journal

ID: ACJ6-A010 03 Sep 2018

by Yilma Woldgabreal, Andrew Day, Mr Gene Mercer, Henry Pharo, Clark Sim, Fereshteh Beard, Iman Hafiz, Gregory Fuller, Xinyue Wang, Elizabeth Grant

Advancing Corrections Journal - Edition #6 - Innovation in Education - Voices from the Front Line (ACJ6-A010)

Article 10: Design, Development, And Implementation Of A Positive Psychology Psycho-Education Curriculum With Remand Prisoners (ACJ6-A010)

Abstract

This paper reports the design, development and implementation of an innovative psycho-educational curriculum currently being offered to remand5 prisoners in South Australia by the Department for Correctional Service (South Australia). The project is noteworthy given that few programs are available to remand prisoners, and the application of positive psychology concepts and methods in a prison setting. The initial stages of program delivery have confirmed that engaging remand prisoners in psycho-education increases individual’s openness, motivation and readiness to engage in alternative ways of viewing life events that may increase individual’s resilience and problem-solving abilities. This paper highlights that an engagement in psycho-educational curricula in the remand phase may increase the potential for individuals to engage in education and other rehabilitation programs should they subsequently receive a custodial sentence or community-based sanction. Salient questions arise as to whether people released without conviction may benefit from completing psycho-education and reduce further contact with the criminal justice system.

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Authors

Yilma Woldgabreal

Senior Clinician, Department for Correctional Services South Australia, Australia

Yilma Woldgabreal is a Senior Clinician at the Rehabilitation Programs Branch, Department for Correctional Services in South Australia. He has more than 17 years’ experience in corrections and held various positions as a practitioner, team supervisor, manager, researcher and project worker. He received his PhD in forensic psychology in 2016 from Deakin University of Victoria in Australia. His research interest includes strengths-based offender/prisoner rehabilitation and development of evidence-based programs, with particular emphasis on the application of positive psychology. He has published in peer reviewed journals. He was the recipient of the Maconochie National Prize in 2017, an annual prize awarded by the Australian Psychological Society, College of Forensic Psychologists for an outstanding publication in a referred journal based on a thesis.

Andrew Day

Fellow, Professor, Australian Psychological Society, James Cook University in Queensland, Australia

Andrew Day is a Fellow of the Australian Psychological Society and Professor in Indigenous Education and Research Centre at James Cook University in Queensland, Australia. Before joining academia he was employed as a Clinical Psychologist in South Australia and the UK, having gained his Doctorate in Clinical Psychology from the University of Birmingham and his Masters in Applied Criminological Psychology from the University of London. He is widely published in many areas of forensic psychology, with a focus on the development of effective and evidence based approaches to offender rehabilitation.

Mr Gene Mercer

Team Leader, Program Services Unit, Department for Correctional Services South Australia

Gene Mercer is the Team Leader, Program Services Unit within the Department for Correctional Services in South Australia (DCS SA). He oversees a small team of researchers within the Offender Rehabilitation Services whose primary role is to develop, implement, support and evaluate the efficacy of the Department’s criminogenic rehabilitation programs. The Program Services Unit also conducts evaluation and/or research on a range of programs/projects throughout the Department and also provides consultation and support to other directorates. Gene was awarded a Bachelor in Behavioural Science, with majors in Psychology and Criminology, in 2012 and has previous experience across several roles within DCS SA, the child protection sector and worker’s compensation.

Henry Pharo

Clinical Psychologist, Director of Offender Rehabilitation Services, Department for Correctional Services South Australia, Australia

Henry Pharo is a Clinical Psychologist currently working as the Director of Offender Rehabilitation Services within the Department for Correctional Services in South Australia. In his role he has oversight of the teams delivering the department’s rehabilitation programs, and education services. Henry completed his PhD and training as a Clinical Psychologist through the University of Otago, New Zealand. He has previously worked as a Psychologist or the New Zealand Corrections Department. Henry has a passion for research and an interest in expanding his involvement in research within the forensic environment. During his time with the South Australian Department for Correctional Services he has been involved in several projects to improve current practices for the assessment, treatment, and management of offenders in line with an evidence-based approach.

Clark Sim

Clinical Psychologist, Manager, Rehabilitation Programs Branch, Department for Correctional Services, South Australia, Australia

Clark Sim is a Clinical Psychologist currently working as the Manager of the Rehabilitation Programs Branch with the Department for Correctional Services, South Australia. This role requires the management of program services and clinical supervision of program facilitators delivering offenderrelated intervention programs in both prison and community settings.

Fereshteh Beard

Community Clinician, Department for Correctional Services, South Australia, Australia

Fereshteh Beard is a Community Clinician within the Rehabilitation Programs Branch, Department for Correctional Services, South Australia. She delivers departmental rehabilitation programs in both community and correctional settings. Fereshteh was awarded a Bachelor of Science with Honours in Psychology, and a Master of Science in Forensic Psychology from The University of Central Lancashire (UK).

Iman Hafiz

Community Clinician, Department for Correctional Services, South Australia, Australia

Iman Hafiz is a Community Clinician within the Rehabilitation Programs Branch, Department for Correctional Services, South Australia. She delivers departmental rehabilitation programs in both community and correctional settings. Iman was awarded a Bachelor of Social Work from the University of South Australia. Iman has specific interest in a strength-based rehabilitation approach that emphasises the capabilities and resources of offenders and prisoners.

Gregory Fuller

Clinical Supervisor, Department for Correctional Services, South Australia, Australia

Gregory Fuller is a Clinical Supervisor, Community Team Rehabilitation Program Branch, Department for Correctional Services, South Australia. His experience as a Social Worker spans over 15 years and during this period he has held various other roles as a child protection worker, community correctional officer and program facilitator. In his current role as a Clinical Supervisor, Greg supervises a team that delivers the drug and alcohol/general offending program (Making Changes) and the domestic violence perpetrator program (DVIP). Prior to graduation, Greg worked (part-time) in the youth work field with homelessness and related issues. Working in the domestic violence field is his main area of interest and focus, and is currently an Ambassador of White Ribbon, a scheme that encourages men to take responsibility and be part of the solution to end the violence, abuse and inequality faced by women across Australia.

Xinyue Wang

Student, University of Adelaide, Department for Correctional Services, South Australia, Australia

Xinyue Wang is completing her 2nd year of a Masters of Public Health at the University of Adelaide. She is currently completing a 12-week placement with the Department Correctional Services. She has worked on departmental projects, including assisting with the development of an evaluation framework for the Inside-Out Positive Psychology Program. Part of this work includes a literature review and jurisdictional scan looking at similar programs that have operated in other parts of the world.

Elizabeth Grant

Associate Professor, Professor, University of Queensland, University of Canberra, Australia

Elizabeth Grant is an architect, anthropologist, criminologist with a distinguished record in the field of Indigenous architecture with specialist interests in the design and operation of prisons and criminal justice reform for Indigenous peoples. She holds an adjunct Associate Professorship at the Aboriginal Environments Research Centre at the University of Queensland and a Professorship at the University of Canberra. Elizabeth is a Churchill Fellow, has published four books and over 70 papers and was honoured with the International Prison and Correctional Association (ICPA) Excellence in Research Award in 2015.

Advancing Corrections Journal - Edition #6 - Innovation in Education - Voices from the Front Line (ACJ6-A010)

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