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ACSO offer a range of reintegration programs for people impacted by the criminal justice system. These are delivered in a range of custodial and community-based programs with a focus on breaking the cycle of recidivism.
The AOS pilot aims to address service gaps by delivering assertive outreach and case management to support individuals with complex needs to develop and attain personal goals.
Referrals are managed by the Complex Needs Teams from the Department of Families, Fairness and Housing (DFFH). Both individuals and support services can make a referral to DFFH. For more information, email: aos@acso.org.au
The Community Support Program (CSP) specifically targets clients who are subject to the following orders:
Referrals for CSP are generated by specialist case managers and submitted to the Post Sentence Branch (PSB). PSB process approved referrals to the CSP referral inbox. A referral can be submitted from the point in which an application for a post sentence order has been lodged, at commencement of the order, or at any time during the operational period of the order.
CREST is a regional program focusing on success on parole. The program directly targets needs identified for the people being released on parole, before release and during their transition into the community to break the cycle of crime. It is delivered in partnership with Queensland Corrective Services and ACSO in the South East Queensland region.
The CREST program offers:
Crisis support providing rapid services for people post-release and up to five days of community-based support for people on parole.
Referrals to CREST can only be made by CREST staff and/or probation and parole staff. For more information call 07 3228 2700.
ReConnect is a Corrections Victoria reintegration program delivered in the Hume, Southeast Metro and Gippsland regions of Victoria. ReConnect supports people with complex behaviours on parole, straight release and community corrections orders (CCO) to transition into the community in a way that decreases their risk of offending. The program is provided to participants on a voluntary basis, with the aim of addressing broad risk factors that contribute to successful engagement. ReConnect caters to specific cohorts of people who were incarcerated reintegrating into the community, notably male participants and those who identify as Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander. ReConnect also provides culturally sensitive and gender responsive services.
This is a short-term intervention program of one to three months. Service may include face-to-face contact and ideally reduces the need for medium to long term response. It is likely to include:
This program provides up to six months of post-release support with a specialised reintegrated service directed at those who require a higher level of service provision. Clients referred through the extended stream often present with more complex needs and behaviours. It is likely to include:
The intensive stream provides clients with up to nine months of post-release support, and as such is the most extensive of the available streams. Clients referred to the intensive stream will typically have more long-term goals that cannot be achieved within the brief and extended streams. In addition to this, clients referred to the intensive stream are deemed to be the highest risk with respect to their offending behaviours, mental health and presentation. It is likely to include:
ReConnect will provide ‘critical interventions’, as needed which may include support with:
Referrals to ReConnect are made by all Victorian prisons (with the exception of Ravenhall Correctional Centre) and participants must meet both of the following eligibility requirements: return a reintegration assessment score during ReGroup of 16 or higher in addition to returning a risk rating (LSRNR/LSI) of high.
For participants that identify as Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander, a score of 10 is required in the reintegration assessment during ReGroup in addition to risk rating (LSRNR/LSI) of high.
All exceptional referrals must be approved by the Transition and Reintegration Unit (TRU) from the Department of Justice and Community Safety (DJCS). In the event that someone is reporting to CCS and has recently been released from custody following the completion of a custodial sentence, please discuss a referral to the ReConnect program with the respective CCS Case Manager.
For more information call 03 9413 7000 and request to be speak to the ReConnect program.
The ReStart program supports people on remand or with short sentences who are leaving prison or court to reintegrate into their community. The aim is to reduce the high number of persons in prison beds on short sentences. Priority groups include women, young adults 18-25 years old, people with a cognitive impairment, and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander persons.
ReStart can help participants with:
Referrals to ReStart are only available through a Corrections pathway. Whilst in custody, a participant may be assessed for eligibility through an Assessment Transition Coordinator (ATC). If eligible, the participant will be referred by the prison to ReStart. If the participant is not at an eligible prison location or alternatively, on a Community Corrections Order, they may be referred to the program through the Exceptional Referral Process whereby the ATC or Community Corrections Worker will submit the referral through to the Transition and Reintegration Unit at the Department of Justice. ReStart do not accept self-referrals, or any referrals outside of this process.
For more information email restartreferrals@acso.org.au.
RPP is a specialised program designed to support people who have been released from immigration detention and have mental health concerns, who use alcohol and other drugs and who use behaviours that may cause harm to others. We work alongside referral partners to provide therapeutic, forensic based interventions.
Referrals for RPP can only be made by our referral partners. For more information, email rpp@acso.org.au
