Work in Progress
Vocational education and training provision and recidivism in Queensland correctional institutions
Summary
- Item:
- 10330
- Title:
- Vocational education and training provision and recidivism in Queensland correctional institutions
- Type:
- Managed research project
- Project no:
- NR4009
- Status:
- Finished
- Date commenced:
- 1 July 2004
- Contact:
- Victor Callan
- phone: +61 7 3365 6225
- email: v.callan@gsm.uq.edu.au
Purpose
* Describe by a literature review the level of disadvantage faced by people in correctional institutions and will look at policy positions being adopted nationally and internationally about the care of prisoners inside and out of prison.
* By interviews with departmental staff who manage VET in prisons, gain an understanding of how VET operates, to fully appreciate the prison context and its constraints on VET, to understand current and future policy positions about VET, views and policy positions about prisoner rehabilitation and causes of recidivism and to explore the strengths and shortcomings of the existing databases that will guide the analysis of recidivism rates.
* Use existing databases within the Queensland Department of Corrective Services to describe firstly the nature of VET programs being adopted in the Queensland correctional system and secondly to test statistically the links between the types and completion of VET in prison and recidivism rates, exploring the prediction for different types of prisoners that the involvement and/or completion of VET courses will reduce rates of recidivism among prisoners.
Approach
Qualitative and quantitative.
Research questions
Focusing on offenders in correctional institutions:
Q1. What does the literature review report to be the multiple disadvantages faced by offenders in correctional institutions, and the policy positions of correctional systems in terms of training, rehabilitation and reducing recidivism?
Q2. What is the nature of VET programs being delivered in Queensland correctional centres, what modes of delivery and modules (based on interviews with Departmental staff and analysis of the database)?
Q3. What is the policy position guiding the approach being taken about prisoners and VET (e.g. "a throughcare philosophy", a whole-of-life learning position)? (based on interviews and examination of reports, annual reviews, Departmental materials)
Q4. Does completion of VET by prisoners of various forms of multiple disadvantage (e.g. women prisoners, Indigenous prisoners) reduce their rates of recidivism? (through analysis of the database)
Methodology
1. Literature review on VET, prisoners, cumulative disadvantage, rehabilitation, and recidivism. This review will examine the level of disadvantage faced by people in corrections. It will also review evidence about the nature and impact of VET training, and provide various benchmarks with which to compare the operation of VET in Australian prisons, as well as evidence of best practice and alternative models for delivery. The review will look at overseas research to report on policy positions and philosophies about rehabilitation, and how to lower rates of recidivism.
2. Interviews with Departmental stakeholders who manage and administer VET in prisons to better describe the nature of VET in correctional centres, and who help set policy positions about VET in prisons. Semi-structured face-to-face interviews with correctional staff, departmental staff and VET staff about the nature, utility and performance of VET training programs in correctional centres.
3. Analysis of corrections databases that report on VET training, and linking statistically VET programs to lower rates of recidivism. There is a quantitative database that is used for all of the reporting for the VET program in Queensland Corrections. This database captures information that includes: - VET information - specific prisoner information - employment information about prisoners upon release.
Organisations
The Queensland Department of Employment and Training (DET) and various providers into correctional institutions (e.g. Yeronga Institute of TAFE, Career Employment Australia) are major partners in this project. VET in prisons is managed through an active alliance between DET and the Queensland Department of Corrective Services. A number of public and private VET providers who assist in the delivery of VET training across the correctional centers and community corrections will also participate and the Department of Community Corrections has agreed to assist in the project.
