land in the early 1990’s, this type of momentum would suggest a move towards demarcation. It should be noted, however, at the same time as these programs were being considered Queensland was experiencing unprecedented expansion in prisons and imprisonment rates. This suggests that particular programs focusing on rehabilitation and reintegration may have not have received the attention needed and may have been doomed to fail.

Particular attention was given to the development and implementation of programs to target Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander offenders. Programs included concepts of rehabilitation, such as the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Family Violence Program, and the Ending Offending program. Programs also included diversion programs such as the Aboriginal Elder Visitation Program.

Pereira argues that most programs in Queensland are designed for non-indigenous males, and are irre

Appropriate penitential policy aimed on social reintegration of the criminals is one of the most important factors while evaluating functioning of democracy in different countries. It is always hard for freed after a long time of imprisonment criminals to go through adaptation of free life and often they are not provided with successful reintegration into society. Spending many years in jail is one of the factors of de-socialization and often it ruins the connections or relations of imprisoned with their families, friends and the rest of the society. Possibility of successful social reintegration also depends on the character and nature of the committed crime and severity of punishment.

Reintegration is directly linked to concepts of rehabilitation and restorative justice. Reintegration can take place after imprisonment or during restorative justice processes. This paper will commence with a discussion about reintegration processes that can be used during and after imprisonment, and how trying to achieve behavioural change through punishment alone does little to help an offender reintegrate back into society. This paper will then discuss rehabilitative processes that have been used in Queensland to assist with the reintegration of offenders, particularly indigenous offenders and programs in regional settings, and whether these programs have been successful. This will be followed by a discussion on how restorative justice processes help with reintegration of offenders and victims. This paper will discuss that community awareness and education is needed in order to achieve successful reintegration. An underlying theme throughout this paper will be the involvement of community in helping positive reintegration.

According to Masters reintegration helps an offender adjust and fit back into the community. It is believed that changing the behaviour patterns of an offender is difficult or even impossible. Reintegration is a method in which correction professionals help offenders make a smooth transition back into society. It is believed that recidivism rates are reduced if an offender is able to make a smooth transition. This not only helps the offender it also benefits the community.

The purpose of rehabilitation programs in the prison system can be directly linked to helping facilitate reintegration of offenders back into society. Roberts states that certain programs such as work release and halfway houses are needed within the community to help assist with the transition of offenders into society after custodial release. The primary purpose of most prisons for the past 100 hundred years has been to change the offender into a law abiding citizen. Roberts agrees with Masters interpretation of prisons but also states that this change is hard to achieve for offenders who have continually shown the same behavioural patterns throughout their lives. Punishment does little to encourage and much to discourage remorse and reparation of offenders. Johnstone goes on to say that punishment results in the social exclusion rather than the reintegration of offenders. According to Johnstone this creates offenders that are more of a threat to the community and little to help the trauma suffered by victims. Therefore, according to Roberts and Johnstone it is necessary to have, and expand, positive programs in communities that help offender reintegration.

The expansion of rehabilitative programs in Queensland was helped with the 1988 Kennedy Report. This report shifted the focus of the Queensland Corrective Services towards rehabilitation and reintegration. As a result processes focusing on reintegration gained momentum in Queensland in the early 1990’s, this type of momentum would suggest a move towards demarcation. It should be noted, however, at the same time as these programs were being considered Queensland was experiencing unprecedented expansion in prisons and imprisonment rates. This suggests that particular programs focusing on rehabilitation and reintegration may have not have received the attention needed and may have been doomed to fail.

Particular attention was given to the development and implementation of programs to target Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander offenders. Programs included concepts of rehabilitation, such as the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Family Violence Program, and the Ending Offending program. Programs also included diversion programs such as the Aboriginal Elder Visitation Program.

Pereira argues that most programs in Queensland are designed for non-indigenous males, and are irrel

ut reintegration processes that can be used during and after imprisonment, and how trying to achieve behavioural change through punishment alone does little to help an offender reintegrate back into society. This paper will then discuss rehabilitative processes that have been used in Queensland to assist with the reintegration of offenders, particularly indigenous offenders and programs in regional settings, and whether these programs have been successful. This will be followed by a discussion on how restorative justice processes help with reintegration of offenders and victims. This paper will discuss that community awareness and education is needed in order to achieve successful reintegration. An underlying theme throughout this paper will be the involvement of community in helping positive reintegration.

According to Masters reintegration helps an offender adjust and fit back into the community. It is believed that changing the behaviour patterns of an offender is difficult or even impossible. Reintegration is a method in which correction professionals help offenders make a smooth transition back into society. It is believed that recidivism rates are reduced if an offender is able to make a smooth transition. This not only helps the offender it also benefits the community.

The purpose of rehabilitation programs in the prison system can be directly linked to helping facilitate reintegration of offenders back into society. Roberts states that certain programs such as work release and halfway houses are needed within the community to help assist with the transition of offenders into society after custodial release. The primary purpose of most prisons for the past 100 hundred years has been to change the offender into a law abiding citizen. Roberts agrees with Masters interpretation of prisons but also states that this change is hard to achieve for offenders who have continually shown the same behavioural patterns throughout their lives. Punishment does little to encourage and much to discourage remorse and reparation of offenders. Johnstone goes on to say that punishment results in the social exclusion rather than the reintegration of offenders. According to Johnstone this creates offenders that are more of a threat to the community and little to help the trauma suffered by victims. Therefore, according to Roberts and Johnstone it is necessary to have, and expand, positive programs in communities that help offender reintegration.

The expansion of rehabilitative programs in Queensland was helped with the 1988 Kennedy Report. This report shifted the focus of the Queensland Corrective Services towards rehabilitation and reintegration. As a result processes focusing on reintegration gained momentum in Queensland in the early 1990’s, this type of momentum would suggest a move towards demarcation. It should be noted, however, at the same time as these programs were being considered Queensland was experiencing unprecedented expansion in prisons and imprisonment rates. This suggests that particular programs focusing on rehabilitation and reintegration may have not have received the attention needed and may have been doomed to fail.

Particular attention was given to the development and implementation of programs to target Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander offenders. Programs included concepts of rehabilitation, such as the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Family Violence Program, and the Ending Offending program. Programs also included diversion programs such as the Aboriginal Elder Visitation Program.

Pereira argues that most programs in Queensland are designed for non-indigenous males, and are irre

believed that changing the behaviour patterns of an offender is difficult or even impossible. Reintegration is a method in which correction professionals help offenders make a smooth transition back into society. It is believed that recidivism rates are reduced if an offender is able to make a smooth transition. This not only helps the offender it also benefits the community.

The purpose of rehabilitation programs in the prison system can be directly linked to helping facilitate reintegration of offenders back into society. Roberts states that certain programs such as work release and halfway houses are needed within the community to help assist with the transition of offenders into society after custodial release. The primary purpose of most prisons for the past 100 hundred years has been to change the offender into a law abiding citizen. Roberts agrees with Masters interpretation of prisons but also states that this change is hard to achieve for offenders who have continually shown the same behavioural patterns throughout their lives. Punishment does little to encourage and much to discourage remorse and reparation of offenders. Johnstone goes on to say that punishment results in the social exclusion rather than the reintegration of offenders. According to Johnstone this creates offenders that are more of a threat to the community and little to help the trauma suffered by victims. Therefore, according to Roberts and Johnstone it is necessary to have, and expand, positive programs in communities that help offender reintegration.

The expansion of rehabilitative programs in Queensland was helped with the 1988 Kennedy Report. This report shifted the focus of the Queensland Corrective Services towards rehabilitation and reintegration. As a result processes focusing on reintegration gained momentum in Queensland in the early 1990’s, this type of momentum would suggest a move towards demarcation. It should be noted, however, at the same time as these programs were being considered Queensland was experiencing unprecedented expansion in prisons and imprisonment rates. This suggests that particular programs focusing on rehabilitation and reintegration may have not have received the attention needed and may have been doomed to fail.

Particular attention was given to the development and implementation of programs to target Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander offenders. Programs included concepts of rehabilitation, such as the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Family Violence Program, and the Ending Offending program. Programs also included diversion programs such as the Aboriginal Elder Visitation Program.

Pereira argues that most programs in Queensland are designed for non-indigenous males, and are irre

ates that this change is hard to achieve for offenders who have continually shown the same behavioural patterns throughout their lives. Punishment does little to encourage and much to discourage remorse and reparation of offenders. Johnstone goes on to say that punishment results in the social exclusion rather than the reintegration of offenders. According to Johnstone this creates offenders that are more of a threat to the community and little to help the trauma suffered by victims. Therefore, according to Roberts and Johnstone it is necessary to have, and expand, positive programs in communities that help offender reintegration.

The expansion of rehabilitative programs in Queensland was helped with the 1988 Kennedy Report. This report shifted the focus of the Queensland Corrective Services towards rehabilitation and reintegration. As a result processes focusing on reintegration gained momentum in Queensland in the early 1990’s, this type of momentum would suggest a move towards demarcation. It should be noted, however, at the same time as these programs were being considered Queensland was experiencing unprecedented expansion in prisons and imprisonment rates. This suggests that particular programs focusing on rehabilitation and reintegration may have not have received the attention needed and may have been doomed to fail.

Particular attention was given to the development and implementation of programs to target Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander offenders. Programs included concepts of rehabilitation, such as the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Family Violence Program, and the Ending Offending program. Programs also included diversion programs such as the Aboriginal Elder Visitation Program.

Pereira argues that most programs in Queensland are designed for non-indigenous males, and are irre

land in the early 1990’s, this type of momentum would suggest a move towards demarcation. It should be noted, however, at the same time as these programs were being considered Queensland was experiencing unprecedented expansion in prisons and imprisonment rates. This suggests that particular programs focusing on rehabilitation and reintegration may have not have received the attention needed and may have been doomed to fail.

Particular attention was given to the development and implementation of programs to target Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander offenders. Programs included concepts of rehabilitation, such as the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Family Violence Program, and the Ending Offending program. Programs also included diversion programs such as the Aboriginal Elder Visitation Program.

Pereira argues that most programs in Queensland are designed for non-indigenous males, and are irrelevant in some essential respects to the experience of indigenous women and men. Pereira argues that indigenous counsellors report a need for culturally specific substance abuse programs. The Ending Offending Program mentioned above is culturally specific but only deals with problems relating to alcohol abuse and does not relate to problems such as petrol and glue sniffing. Pereira also states that the Queensland Corrective Services continually fails to provide suitable programs that promote responsible reintegration of offenders, especially in regional areas. Lack of availability of programs, inexperienced program facilitators, and a high turnover of staff are just some of the problems raised. Pereira states that too often graduates with little experience are only accepting jobs in regional areas in order to gain experience. This situation does little to help offenders who need an experienced and willing practitioner to resolve complex problems. Pereira claims that prisons should not be training grounds for recently qualified social workers, and access to responsible programs is imperative to allow offenders to progress back into the community.

Pollard supports the concept of expanding responsible programs that directly help reintegration of offenders. Pollard also states that prison should be the principle deterrent for persistent and serious offenders. However, restorative justice options offer sound and practical benefits, which ultimately help to create a sense of community.