CSAC Women's Offenders Conference round-up

Managing women offenders presents a unique challenge to correctional jurisdictions all over the world.

New Zealand is no exception, as many representatives found at the ninth Corrective Services Administrators Women Offenders
Conference in Auckland in early December 2009.

More than 70 people from the Women Offenders Information Network Australia and New Zealand attended the three-day conference that looked at various aspects that women offenders undergo through the criminal justice system, particularly focusing on ‘Custody to Community – a journey planned’.

One of the key highlights was the sharing that took place among various jurisdictions in Australia and New Zealand – particularly the enlightening, entertaining and visual presentation by Jules Dinsdale from the Mannus Correctional Centre where Māori and Pacific Island prisoners are managed in New South Wales, Australia.

Equally interesting was the presentation made by Jean Dally sharing the programmes for young female offenders at the Dillwynia Correctional Centre at New South Wales in Australia.

From further afield, Governor Kate Donegan and Ross Binnie of the Scottish Prison Service shared how their work turned around poorly performing prisons.

Various other speakers from the New Zealand Department of Corrections shared with the Australian and other government departments, various issues covering women’s health, gangs and rehabilitation and the mothers and babies units.

Doctor and author Lauren Roche shared her story of struggle growing up in a dysfunctional family life and how she fought depression, suicide and drugs to turn her life around to become a doctor.

Day three of the conference took a hands-on approach with a tour around the Auckland Region Women’s Corrections Facility, New Zealand’s largest women’s prison. There was an opportunity to talk with some women prisoners and listen to their experiences, including the passion they exhibited with the mobility dogs programme.

Feedback on the conference came flying in through emails. Words such as ‘a great conference’ and ‘terrific learning’ were used to describe it.