Technology and Indigenous Prisoners: Guiding Principles for the Development of Effective and Responsive Programs
Research on technology programs aimed at the rehabilitation of Indigenous people in the justice system is sparse, especially given the over-representation of this cohort. The advancement of knowledge on the development of technology programs for Indigenous people in the justice system should begin with the identification of guiding principles which may be gleaned from the existing literature. This presentation reviews the empirical and lived-experience evidence indicating the need for a structured approach to developing forensic technology programs for Indigenous people. A review of this evidence highlights the fact that the use of a structured approach to this issue is in alignment with the responsivity principle of the RNR model. After reviewing the eight guiding principles, the presentation describes the development of the Tree of Me program, a technology-based initiative for assisting Indigenous prisoners with increasing their knowledge of ancestry and positive cultural influences.
