Access keys | Skip to primary navigation | Skip to secondary navigation | Skip to content | Skip to footer |
Problems viewing this site
     Chapter Headings
previous   PAGE   next  
Correctional intervention services





Multicultural Queensland The Department of Corrective Services is responsive to the special areas of need of Queensland’s dynamic and diverse society.

During the year:

  • prisoners of the Muslim faith were visited at various locations by Imams who provided spiritual guidance and support. Copies of the Koran were placed in correctional centre libraries. Additionally, these prisoners are provided halal meat.
  • Buddhist monks visited some correctional centres to provide spiritual guidance and support to prisoners of Asian ethnic background and/or devout worshippers.
  • Chinese New Year was celebrated at correctional centres with Asian cooking, recreation and games.
  • NAIDOC Week, a five-day program that assists the rehabilitative processes for Indigenous prisoners by developing their self-respect through facilitating a sense of belonging and pride in indigenous heritage and culture, was celebrated at correctional centres.
  • Indigenous prisoners were able to communicate with their communities by video conferencing to assist in the maintenance of family and community relationships.
  • prisoners were encouraged to undertake traditional arts and crafts and were provided with opportunities to display and market their art through exhibitions and displays.

Chinese new year lion Woodford Correctional Centre celebrates Chinese new year with traditional dancing

Future directions

Future intervention practice will be founded on research-based evidence, systematic assessment and evaluation, and continuous and sustainable improvement. These are key principles of the Department’s efforts to provide effective rehabilitation programs. The Department also recognises that without appropriate staff training, supervision and support, rehabilitation efforts are hindered, and is therefore committed to ensuring those needs are met. Priorities for the coming year are:
  • policy, procedures and guidelines for program service delivery.
  • practices for assessment-based, targeted programs consistent with the Integrated Offender Management Strategy.
  • effective systems for timely access to reliable and relevant program information and data.
  • evidence-based program management practices and systems.
  • program, facilitator and site accreditation.
  • additional training for specialist facilitators.
In addition, the Department will:
  • complete the mental health review, in collaboration with Queensland Health.
  • expand PREAP to all correctional centres in Queensland.
  • develop a Memorandum of Understanding with the Department of Housing to facilitate an integrated approach to the prevention of post-release homelessness.
  • improve delivery of programs and services to offenders in rural and remote areas.
  • develop a Memorandum of Understanding with the Department of Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Policy to facilitate an organised exchange of relevant data to assist in the measuring of progress in reducing Indigenous over-representation in the criminal justice system.
Department of Corrective Services
Annual Report 2003-04
previous   PAGE   next