Indigenous Australians are disproportionately represented in the prison system, accounting for 36% of people in prison while comprising only 3.8% of the general population. This overrepresentation is largely attributed to intergenerational trauma and enduring socio-economic disadvantages stemming from colonisation. In Australia over two-thirds of people entering prison, both Indigenous and non-Indigenous, have some form of substance use disorder and/or mental health issues. While there are behavioural programs in Australian prisons, few of these programs are culturally tailored for Indigenous Australians.

In 2024 an Indigenous lead research project commenced with the goal of developing a new culturally-based social and emotional wellbeing program for Indigenous Australians in prison. The development process included a global scoping review for literature on prison-based programs for Indigenous peoples, in-depth interviews with 27 Indigenous health professionals and four focus groups. A program curriculum was developed which comprises 11 standalone lessons. At the time of abstract submission, we were investigating the use of a co-facilitation model, involving both staff and inmates. In this presentation we will report on our work to date.

Developing a Culturally-Based Social and Emotional Wellbeing Program for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians in Prison (PID044)

Speakers

Luke Grant