Correctional leaders worldwide are waking up to a hidden driver of violence, burnout, and recidivism: unresolved grief. Our session unveils a four‑layer Grief‑Responsive Corrections Model that turns cutting‑edge research into day‑to‑day practice. We show how brief, peer‑led grief‑literacy sessions for staff, trauma‑informed SOPs for deaths‑in‑custody, culturally diverse peer circles for residents, and family‑centred re‑entry counselling together reduce critical incidents, trim costly overtime, and strengthen post‑release success. The model synthesises evidence from more than 1,500 officers and incarcerated people across three U.S. evaluations, including a 30 % recidivism drop linked to family contact and measurable gains in staff retention. Participants will leave with plug‑and‑play policy templates, live‑data dashboards, and a cost‑benefit calculator that make dignity‑centred, grief‑responsive care realistic even in high‑security or budget‑strapped systems - advancing the Nelson Mandela Rules, Bangkok Rules, and UN SDG 3 in one practical package.

Moderated by Luke Grant, Deputy Commissioner, Corrective Services New South Wales, Australia

Grief‑Responsive Corrections: Embedding Trauma‑Informed Grief Care for Safer, Healthier Prisons and Communities (PID124)

Speakers

Rolando Nooks