Kirby Institute Seminar Series - 17 October 2014

Event date
Friday 17th October 2014
Event time
3:30 PM
Event address
The Kirby Institute

Location:

The Kirby Institute

Contact for enquiries

02 9385 0900

The Kirby Institute is pleased to present:

Megan Williams - "Reducing risks for reincarceration: Findings from research on the roles of Aboriginal Elders and service providers."

Location:
The Kirby Institute
Level 6 Seminar Room, Wallace Wurth Building
UNSW Australia

Abstract:
At least 80% of Aboriginal people in Australian prisons have been there before. They have long been over-represented, constituting 27% of the Australian prison population yet 3% of the community population, highlighting that existing legal, prison and through care policies and programs remain ineffective.
The vast criminal justice research and advocacy on preventing reincarceration recommends that people need more support after release from prison.
 
This presentation is based on research that asked “What supports occur in an urban Aboriginal context and what are the implications for culturally sensitive policy and practice to prevent reincarceration?”
 
The multi-phased grounded theory research identified a range of connective, practical, emotional and spiritual post-prison supports, that were timely and wholistic. They fit an ecological model of health, and through the mixed formal and informal roles that Aboriginal people often have in prisons and in post-release support, demonstrate the utility of such a model to shape intersectoral mechanisms for preventing reincarceration.

Biography:
Megan is a lecturer with Muru Marri, in the School of Public Health and Community Medicine at UNSW. Megan is a descendent of the Wiradjuri people through her father’s family and also has English and Irish heritage. Megan has almost 20 years’ experience with health promotion and research on blood borne viruses, injecting drug use and Aboriginal community leadership in the criminal justice system. She is nearing completion of a PhD investigating post-prison release social support among an urban Aboriginal population. Megan is linked to the Lowitja Institute, as well as the Justice Health Program at the Kirby Institute, and is best known as Meg Bastard for her work with Mibbinbah Men’s Spaces producing educational materials to accompany the much-loved Australian feature film, Mad Bastards.