Offender Services and Programs
The Department offers a range of programs and services designed to reduce recidivism across community and custodial settings and to improve offender motivation to participate in offence-related, transitional and resettlement programs.
These programs are based on evidence of effective intervention and are primarily targeted at medium to high-risk offenders, since the literature on 'what works in reducing reoffending' concludes that working more intensively with high-risk offenders reduces reoffending. Targeting high-risk offenders is enhanced by additional programs for identified offenders, which address specific deficits in motivation, living skills and personal and social development.
The Department's interventions and programs are delivered in both the custodial and community environment and complimented by services and programs delivered by external agencies such as Alcoholics Anonymous and those agencies funded through the Department's Community Funding Program
- Adult Education and Vocational Training Institute (AEVTI)
The Adult Education and Vocational Training Institute (AEVTI) is a Registered Training Organisation (RTO) within the NSW Department of Corrective Services. Courses provided to offenders are accredited and qualifications gained by offenders who successfully complete modules or certificates are nationally recognised. - Aboriginal Support and Planning Unit (ASPU)
The ASPU acts as a strategic Aboriginal affairs advisory, planning, support, program and policy unit for the Department, particularly in relation to services, planning and support for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander offenders in correctional centres and under the supervision of the Department in the community. - At risk offenders
Since 1998, the Department has had an 'at risk' offenders program to reduce suicide, self harm and relapse of deliberate self harm among offenders in custody, upon release from custody and on community supervised orders. - Women Offenders
Principal Advisors
To ensure the Department is able to design and deliver programs and services based on best practice it employs four principal advisors:
- Principal Advisor Psychology
- Principal Advisor Family and Community Support
- Principal Advisor Alcohol and Other Drugs
- Principal Advisor Women Offenders
Offender Programs Unit
Program activities are overseen by the Offender Programs Unit, which promotes and ensures excellence in program design, production, implementation and evaluation.
The Unit oversees the provision of program activities according to the Program Accreditation Strategic Framework (2003). The Framework also provides for the review of all correctional:
"programs which are proven to be effective in reducing recidivism across community and custodial settings" and
"to improve offender motivation to participate in offence-related, transitional and resettlement programs"
Staff of the Unit act as program partners in close collaboration with program sponsors and the field staff involved. The program partner ensures that all programs targeting criminogenic needs meet the Accreditation Standards and all other programs meet the Approval Standards.
Downloads
- Policy Concerning the Strategic Framework for Program Accreditation and the Role of the Offender Programs Unit (pdf)
- Policy for external program providers to correctional centres (pdf)
- Business Plan Offender Program Unit (pdf)
- NSW Government Action Plan for Women 2003-05 (pdf)
- Program Integration Update Nov 2005 (pdf)
- Strategic Summary AOD Nov 2005 (pdf)
- Strategic Summary HIV and Health Promotion Nov 2005 (pdf)
- Strategic Summary Sex Offender Program Nov 2005 (pdf)
- Strategic Summary Violence and Anger Nov 2005 (pdf)
- Summary of Proceedings CSAC NSW Womens Conference (pdf)
- Program Integration Update - April 2006 (pdf)