Rehabilitative needs and treatment of Indigenous offenders in ...

Chapter 6Indigenous Offender Participation in RehabilitationInterventionsThis chapter shows the number and completion rates of offenders thathave participated in various QCS rehabilitation interventions. Readersare advised that the information presented in this chapter is likely tounderreport the number of offenders involved in rehabilitationinterventions due to data issues discussed in Chapter two. 10Sexual Offending ProgramsTable 6.1 shows the completion number and rate of all sexual offendingprograms (Getting Started; Crossroads; New Directions; Staying on Track;Inclusion and Indigenous Sexual Offending) for 2006-07 to 2008-09 byIndigenous status. The figures include the number of offenders completingthese programs in custody and in the community.Male Indigenous offender enrolments in the Indigenous sexual offending andmainstream sexual offending programs have steadily increased since 2006-07. In 2006-07, there are 30 Indigenous offender enrolments, followed by 65in 2007-08 and 82 in 2008-09. A significant proportion of Indigenous sexoffenders completed their program. In 2006-07, 73 per cent of Indigenousoffenders completed the program, 94 per cent completed in 2007-08 and 84per cent completed in 2008-09.The number of non-Indigenous offender enrolments in sexual programs ishigher than Indigenous offender enrolments. In 2006-07, there are 268 malenon-Indigenous offenders enrolled in sexual offending programs, followed by250 and 335 in the subsequent financial years. A significant proportion ofprogram participants completed their program – with 88 per cent completing in2006-07, 90 per cent completing in 2007-08 and 84 per cent completing in2008-09.Overall, there is little difference between the completion of sexual offendingprograms between Indigenous and non-Indigenous participants. Thecombined completion rate across the three year period for Indigenousparticipants in sexual offending programs is 86 per cent compared to 89 percent for non-Indigenous participants.Further analysis shows that the completion rate for Indigenous offendersparticipating in Indigenous-specific sexual offending programs is higher thanthe completion rate for Indigenous offenders completing non-Indigenous10 It is recognised that meeting program demand is a reflection of QCS’s ability to delivertreatment and rehabilitation services to offenders. Whist this chapter provides data onprogram enrolments, the number of offenders eligible for programs has not been used due todata reliability issues. Furthermore, program eligibility in itself is complex and can beimpacted by other factors (discussed in chapter 5). Processes have been put in place toimprove the reliability of program data entered into IOMS and to improve QCS’s deliverycapacity (see chapter 5).45