Engaging With Your Engaging With Your Local GaolsLocal Gaols

Geoffrey TremellingGeoffrey Tremelling

Legal Aid NSWLegal Aid NSW

Prisoners Legal ServicePrisoners Legal Service

• BailBail

• Legal aid applicationsLegal aid applications

• AppealsAppeals

• Classification and other prison issuesClassification and other prison issues

• Parole hearingsParole hearings

• Life sentence determinationsLife sentence determinations

• Segregation appealsSegregation appeals

• Visiting justice hearingsVisiting justice hearings

Role of the civil outreach Role of the civil outreach solicitorsolicitor

•Provide civil law services to Provide civil law services to prisoners prisoners

•Facilitate referrals Facilitate referrals

•Conduct CLE Conduct CLE

•Build stakeholder relationships Build stakeholder relationships

•Casework Casework

Who are my clients?Who are my clients? • Total (M) 9,562 (F) 757 (TOTAL) 10319Total (M) 9,562 (F) 757 (TOTAL) 10319• Indigenous offenders comprise a large Indigenous offenders comprise a large

percentage of the inmate population: (M) percentage of the inmate population: (M) 21.8% (F) 28.4% (T) 22.3%21.8% (F) 28.4% (T) 22.3%

• 60% of inmates are not functionally 60% of inmates are not functionally literate or numerateliterate or numerate

• 18% of women and 27% of men scored 18% of women and 27% of men scored below the pass rate on the intellectual below the pass rate on the intellectual disability screenerdisability screener

• Under educated - Under educated - 60% did not complete 60% did not complete year 10 year 10

Who are my clients? Who are my clients? • 64% have no stable family64% have no stable family• Most inmates are financially compromisedMost inmates are financially compromised• 67% of women and 44% men reached the 67% of women and 44% men reached the

referral criteria for major depressionreferral criteria for major depression• 33% women and 26% men scored positive on 33% women and 26% men scored positive on

the schizophrenia scale.the schizophrenia scale.• 54% of women and 37% of men had thought 54% of women and 37% of men had thought

about suicide; 39% of women and 21% of men about suicide; 39% of women and 21% of men had made a suicide attempt. This compares had made a suicide attempt. This compares with the total population, where 16% of people with the total population, where 16% of people have thought about suicide and 3.6% have have thought about suicide and 3.6% have made an attemptmade an attempt

Development / Development / implementation of the implementation of the outreach serviceoutreach service • Met with Aboriginal Elders in the local Met with Aboriginal Elders in the local

community community

• Met the MOSP (Manager, Services and Met the MOSP (Manager, Services and Programs) and Aboriginal Mentors Programs) and Aboriginal Mentors

• Invited Elders & staff at the CCs to Invited Elders & staff at the CCs to make their own suggestions / ideas make their own suggestions / ideas

• Implementation Implementation

The key difficultiesThe key difficulties of of providing civil law advice in providing civil law advice in prisonsprisons

•Prisoner capacity Prisoner capacity

•Prison culturePrison culture

•Back on TrackBack on Track

Common civil problems Common civil problems

• Personal injury / victims compPersonal injury / victims comp

• Injury and illness in prison Injury and illness in prison

• Personal property Personal property

• Proceeds of crime / forfeiture ordersProceeds of crime / forfeiture orders

• Debt / fines / bankruptcyDebt / fines / bankruptcy

• HousingHousing

• MigrationMigration

Ways your CLC could help Ways your CLC could help your local inmate your local inmate population population

•Conduct regular outreachConduct regular outreach

•Share a visits calendar with Legal Share a visits calendar with Legal AidAid

•Develop a by appointment phone Develop a by appointment phone advice service through welfare advice service through welfare or transfers from LawAccess or transfers from LawAccess

•Run the Back on Track ProgramRun the Back on Track Program

Building capacity - Building capacity - Resources & trainingResources & training

• Back on Track – DVDsBack on Track – DVDs• Back on Track - PostersBack on Track - Posters• Back on Track – Certificate of Back on Track – Certificate of

attendanceattendance• Civil law issues and prisoners workshops Civil law issues and prisoners workshops

series series • DCS Security awareness DCS Security awareness • Aboriginal, ID, Mental Illness & Drug Aboriginal, ID, Mental Illness & Drug

awareness courses awareness courses

Thank YouThank You