Items of interest for the Complaints, Accountability, Integrity Network
Corrections
Women in Prison 2
A two volume Ombudsman report relating to the conditions faced by women in the Alice Springs Women's Correctional Facility. Women in Prison 2 revisits similar issues to those discussed in a 2008 Ombudsman report. It concludes that progress since then has been limited at best. The ongoing initiative and dedication of correctional officers is acknowledged. But the reality is that promising initiatives have been proposed or commenced only to be swamped in time by the voracious resource requirements of the traditional correctional system. The report focusses on the importance of rehabilitation. It notes the potential for the young women in prison today to contribute positively to their families and their communities in the future. However, it states the chances are that without substantial support and guidance many will instead be in and out of the justice and health systems for decades to come.
https://www.ombudsman.nt.gov.au/sites/default/files/downloads/women_in_prison_ii_aswcf_report_vol1-_final_26.05.17.pdf
https://www.ombudsman.nt.gov.au/sites/default/files/downloads/women_in_prison_ii_aswcf_report_vol2-_final_26.05.17.pdf
NT Ombudsman, May 2017
A future of reform, not retribution
"Scandinavian countries are future-focussed when it comes to incarceration and punishment, says prisons expert Doran Larson. They're interested in preparing people for eventual release. By contrast, Anglo-sphere countries dwell in the past – on extracting retribution. As a result, the United States now has a prison population in excess of two million people. So can the lessons from Scandinavia help lead the way to a better prison system?
Also, the Technological Incarceration Project – harnessing the power of AI and technological gadgetry to try and keep offenders in the home and away from criminal influences."
http://www.abc.net.au/radionational/programs/futuretense/prisons/8763444
Future Tense, ABC RN podcast, 6 August 2017
Conflict of interest
Conflict of Interest Guidelines
A sample conflict of interest guideline for any agency looking to develop or review relevant guidelines.
http://www.ombudsman.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0030/29919/Conflict-of-Interest-Guidelines-September-2015.pdf
Commonwealth Ombudsman, September 2015
Report into allegations of conflict of interest of an officer at the Metropolitan Fire and Emergency Services Board
A report on the case of a senior public official who hired her son, not declaring the relationship, having falsified his CV and coached him prior to interview, three weeks after he changed his name to conceal the relationship. After giving him a pay rise and moving him into a permanent role, she then hired her second son, also falsifying his CV and 'interviewing' him at her home after he, too, had changed his name to conceal the relationship. In one form or another the public purse paid out over $400,000 for the services of her two sons.
https://www.ombudsman.vic.gov.au/getattachment/b852e331-7bda-449a-87ea-9db393227039//publications/parliamentary-reports/mfb-conflict-of-interest-of-an-officer.aspx
Victorian Ombudsman, June 2017
Social media
Social media and the public officer - corruption prevention advisory
"This advice highlights the risks and offences of social media use by public officers in Queensland. It covers appropriate use, risk factors, liability for misuse, best practice advice for public officers, strategies for agencies to prevent misuse and further information and resources on social media use."
http://www.ccc.qld.gov.au/research-and-publications/publications/ccc/prevention-advisories/social-media-and-the-public-officer-corruption-prevention-advisory.pdf
Qld Crime and Corruption Commission, July 2017
Aged care
Legal frameworks for the use of restrictive practices in residential aged care: An analysis of Australian and international jurisdictions
"The use of restrictive practices to manage the challenging behaviours of people in the aged and disability sectors is a key human rights issue in Australia. The paper aims to contribute to public discussion about the regulation of restrictive practices in residential aged care settings by exploring the existing laws, policies and practices in Australia and other international jurisdictions."
http://www.justice.qld.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0005/524426/restrictive-practices-in-aged-care-final.pdf
Qld Office of the Public Advocate, June 2017
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