INDECOS (Indo Chinese Entering Community Corrections) : integration & re-integration issues for CALD refugees & migrants involved in the Victorian justice system. The RE-INTEGRATION PUZZLE CONFERENCEHobart , June 24th 2010 Presenter:Mrs Cam Nguyen,Founder & CEO,

Australian Vietnamese Women’s Association, Melbourne, Victoria.

• Background• Program Objective• Program Features• Client Characteristics• Outcomes• Integration or Re-integration? • Key recommendations

• A pilot program was started in the Melbourne Western Region in July 2000.

• Funding was provided to AVWA to run a program in both Melbourne Western Region & Northern Region from July 2002

• Funding for the South East Region was reallocated from a local organisation to AVWA in the 2nd funding round, from November 2006. Continuing funding in the other 2 regions.

• Current funding for all 3 regions due to finish in October 2010.

Program Objective

• To try & reduce the 67% breach rate for Indochinese offenders receiving CBOs, ICOs & parole orders prior to 2000

• This objective was fulfilled beyond expectation, with the breach rate falling to 13.9% in 2002-2003, fluctuating between 8% & 4% since then.

•In the last financial year 2008-2009, it was reduced to 5.3%.

INDECOS – WHAT THE PROGRAM PROVIDES The project workers work with Indo-Chinese offenders and their families in a case management approach:

• Initial assessment of individual needs.

• Individual counselling and support services including Alcohol & Drug related issues

• Family counselling & mediation.

• Education program on legal system, drugs, human rights and personal responsibilities

• Information on education, vocational training and employment.

•Information and advice on issues related to accommodation, health, social welfare and youth services.

• Assisting offenders to draw up and implement an action plan.

Raising awareness of health & well being issues

• Helping to access on-going support and community resources

• Helping young people to reconnect with their families and community

• Outreach, after hours & weekends, if needed.

• Numbers: fluctuating on a rising trend: 115 in 2002-2003; 132 in 2008-2009

• Age: in the first few years, the under 25 nearly 50%, in recent years, only 10%.

• Currently: 30% between 25 & 30; 50% between 30 & 40; 10% 40+.

• Gender: Increasing number of female offenders, fluctuating on a rising trend: less than 10 in 2000, 32 in 2007-2008 & 38 in 2008-2009.

Country of birth/origin

• Mostly Vietnamese born in Vietnam.

• Some from Cambodia, Laos, Malaysia, Hong Kong, Thailand, Philippines etc..

• In recent years, many Australian –born

with an Indo-Chinese background.

Types of orders: of 132 clients in 2008-2009CBOs: 51Parole: 44ICOs: 29DTOs: 8

Offences:-In the first few years, mostly heroin related & theft, violence etc…- In recent years, increasing number of cannabis growing, FV & alcohol related offences (driving & violence), increasing number of offenders born in North Vietnam. Also, increasing women’s offences due to consequences of gambling, gambling itself being due to other problems/issues.

Education• Most clients did not complete high school. Some (mostly women) did not complete primary school.• A few had TAFE qualifications• This year, first & only client with a university degree

Employment• Most are unemployed• Some in manual occupations: sewing, hospitality & building trades.• A few have their own business

• About 85% of clients appreciated the support given & provided good feedback.

• Most gained a better understanding of the law & their responsibility to meet legal requirements.

• About 50% explored job opportunities with the help & guidance of AVWA employment assistance workers. A good number were successful in getting either f/t or p/t employment.

• A high number of clients were involved in community activities organised by AVWA, men’s support groups in the City of Yarra & in the West, parenting playgroups, sports & cultural events, also community work supervision

• Some were assisted to enrol in further training in AVWA run or other suitable courses.

• Some were able to reconnect with their families & community with staff helping clients to explore the psycho-social issues that might have contributed to the offending behaviour

• Clients with drug dependence were engaged in AVWA AOD treatment counselling services or referred to local medical practitioners ( some of whom are of Vietnamese background).

•Most important of all, the individual action plan, drawn up following the initial assessment, provides personal & cultural support, enhancing the self –esteem & confidence of clients to get back to a normal life.

• AVWA Justice staff are well qualified & highly committed; staff are of both genders, belong to the first, one a half & second generations and are able to provide outreach or after hours support, if needed.

Risk factors and crucial issues

• Lack of English language competence, restricted access to information & recreation, limited understanding of laws, legal system, rights & obligations.

• Trauma & lack of life skills & family support. Questionable community integration

• Unemployment: limited skills plus police check restrictions

• Housing issues especially for clients on parole orders & applying for bail

Information sessions re drugs & justice issues to new arrivals: attendance compulsory for Centrelink benefits recipients, strongly recommended for others.

Learning English: benefits & obligation to be explained. Free English courses to be available for all Australian citizens of CALD background irrespective of year of arrival with no limit on number of hours of English language tuition, and to be counted as one of the conditions for receiving Centrelink benefits . Stick: Interpreting services to be charged on an increasing scale from say 2020 for all but newcomers of less than 5 years.

For the marginalised, integration to be facilitated before talking of re-integration.

Sports & arts programs specifically for justice clients as social stigma makes it difficult for them to join in with others.

Employment is essential to rehabilitation & re-integration. Modification to police checks needed: those who did not commit violent crimes or who pose no threat to society should have special clearance otherwise they stand no chance.

Housing: urgent public housing allocation needed with specific strict conditions for drug users/traffickers.

Above all, appropriate programs run with dedicated & culturally aware staff of both genders, diverse generational & professional background.

From the Australian Vietnamese Women’s Association,

thank you for your time!