Neuro-Desistance Alignment in Modern Corrections: Rethinking Partnerships Through Cognitive Justice Congruence in Juvenile Justice (PID174)

10.30am – 11am GMT, 26 October 2026 ‐ 30 mins

Room: Meeting Room 1B (Level 3)

Parallel Workshops

There are constraints of contemporary correctional partnerships in managing the growing complexity of justice-involved youth, particularly those with varied neurocognitive characteristics. Although current systems prioritize multi-agency collaboration – bringing together legal, social and mental health services, yet outcomes remain inconsistent. These limitations are not solely structural but primarily cognitive, as many interventions do not correspond with how individuals interpret information or engage with justice processes, specifically those within neurodivergence profiles.

Introducing Neuro-Desistance Alignment Model (Neuro-DAM), the discussion proposes that effectiveness depends on how well interventions with an individual’s neurocognitive processing style. Conducted to 78 individuals between the age of 14 to 21 within neurodivergence spectrum, Cognitive Justice Congruence (CJC) becomes focal of this framework, referring to how accessible and meaningful correctional processes are for participants. When congruence is low individuals may disengage or display pseudo-desistance, where outward compliance masks a lack of genuine internal change. This discourse further underscores that prevailing partnership models are grounded in standardized cognitive assumptions, which may inadvertently exclude neurodivergent youth. It advocates moving beyond system coordination toward cognitive alignment by promoting neurodiversity-informed approaches, flexible interventions strategies, and redefined measures of success. Ultimately, sustainable outcomes require partnerships that are aligned not only structural, but cognitively as well.

Speakers

Sayed Mawismi Sayed Mohamad Mustar

Senior Associate Social Development Officer, Department of Social Welfare, Malaysia

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Sayed Mawismi Sayed Mohamad Mustar

Senior Associate Social Development Officer, Department of Social Welfare, Malaysia

With a background in Social Work, Psychology and Disability Studies, Sayed has been a practitioner for more than 16 years in the correctional field in both institutionalized and community-based settings. Focusing on rehabilitation services for youths aged 14 to 21, he has been handling individual and family intervention, initiating community integration, managing, and delivering rehabilitation programs, and involving directly in policy making. Currently integrating interdisciplinary knowledge of Adolescence Psychology, Criminology and Disability Studies in doing research on Youth Justice Systems, especially for youths with cognitive and intellectual impairments. 
Sayed has been invited to be a panel in developing National Youth Rehabilitation Policy, specifically in drafting the Standard Operating Procedures for Community Services under Department of Social Welfare, focuses on children and youths in conflict with laws. He was selected as Supervisor for delivering Community Services programs in 2017 to 2019. Also, being elected as an auditor for Community Services implementation standard in 2018 and 2019. At the same, he had been given trusts and responsibilities to deliver talks and sharing sessions that focus on the issues of Youth Correctional Settings in Malaysia and recently was invited by Malaysia Human Rights Commission to be one of the panelists to review on reintegration program of released prisoners to be integrated in the community. With relevant experience, it helps to develop his interests in doing research and coming out with proper and justifiable programs related to those within the justice system, specifically on juvenile, those within neurodevelopmental divergent groups and people with disabilities.