CJSN Volunteers Nominated
for Award
CJSN congratulates its volunteer
network for being nominated for the Law and Justice
Foundation Volunteer Award for 2005. The network was
nominated by the Lawyers
Reform Association (LRA)
for its contribution in improving access to justice for
people with an intellectual disability as a group of
socially and economically disadvantaged
people.
The LRA has been contacted and
interviewed by the Foundation to support the nomination.
The winner of the Foundation’s awards will be
announced at a dinner to be held at the Parliament House,
Sydney, in October this year. The role of CJSN’s
volunteer support workers in filling the gap in the
criminal justice system that has existed, especially when
members of the Police interview alleged offenders, was
identified as an important reason why CJSN’s
volunteers qualify for the Volunteer Award.
Fiona’s Statement to the
Police
Fiona is a woman who was sexually
assaulted by her mother’s partner. She was taken to
the police station by her mother to make a statement to
the police. The police recognised that Fiona’s
mother could not act as a support person for Fiona in
making a statement: she was in a situation of conflict of
interest due to her relationship with her partner, the
alleged perpetrator.
So, the statement was not
taken.
Fiona was living in a granny flat
on the same property where her mother and mother’s
partner were living. There was a high risk of Fiona being
sexually assaulted again. The police couldn’t find
anyone to support Fiona in making a statement. She was
assaulted a second time.
Demonstrating significant courage,
Fiona went to the police on her own. Due to Fiona’s
intellectual disability, the police were still unable to
take a statement from her without a support person
present.
Fiona then turned to Amy, a
Coordinator at her recreational activities service. Amy
contacted CJSN expressing considerable distress and
concern at the situation that Fiona was continuing to
live in, and asking CJSN for support. Her concern
motivated her to assist Fiona to move to a women’s
refuge.
A CJSN worker went with Fiona to
the police a third time and supported her to give a
statement about the assaults. It was important to Fiona
that she speak to a female police officer, which
hadn’t happened in the past, and the CJSN worker was
able to ensure that this occurred. After the direct
support at the police station was provided, CJSN
contacted the police and organised for them to accompany
Fiona and Amy to go back to the house Fiona had been
living in and picking up her belongings. She was still
afraid to go to the premises on her own.
Fiona continues to wait for more
permanent housing, and to find out whether the police
will take her case any further. This is another example
of where CJSN was able to provide an appropriate support
person where none was otherwise available, and most
importantly, in helping Fiona tell her story to the
police.
Police Interview Video Now
Complete
Filming is now finished for
CJSN’s Police Interview Video/DVD resource. It will
be packaged as part of CJSN’s Police Rights
Kit, along with our Police Interview Photo
Booklet, animated CD on Bail Conditions and Training
Materials.
The aim of the package is to teach
people with intellectual disabilities about their rights
when in contact with the police as an alleged offender,
and improve their ability to assert their
rights.
We plan to launch the Police
Rights Kit in November. A train the trainer component
is also being developed so the package can be utilised in
an ongoing and individualised way to support and empower
people in the longer term. The photo booklet and resource
on bail conditions will also be made available via our
website.
CJSN thanks Sergeant Amanda Calder,
Public Relations Coordinator, NSW Police and the
Commander of Dee Why Police for making it possible for
the video to be filmed at Dee Why Police Station, and
providing staff for an entire day.
If you would like to find out more
about the Police Rights Kit or place an order for
the Kit, please contact CJSN by phone on (02) 9318 0144,
or email at cjsn@idrs.org.au.
Funding for Bail
Resource
CJSN has received confirmation that
the Law and Justice Foundation will be providing the
project with a $5 300 grant to complete graphic animation
work for a CD resource on bail conditions for people with
an intellectual disability.
The CD resource will form part of
the Police Rights Kit as outlined above. It will
be based on the same story from the video and photo
booklet.
The bail resource will also be
available from the CJSN section of the website, and will
be formatted so that sections of the resource can be made
available on email. The resource focuses on the
importance of bail conditions, and helps to explain
common conditions and the outcomes of breaching them.
Understanding, remembering and complying with bail
conditions can be a challenge for a person with an
intellectual disability, and often brings people back
into contact wit the system.
CJSN Outreach
CJSN Outreach Worker, Leonie Kirwan
recently visited Mudgee to talk with disability service
providers and other people interested in hearing about
what CJSN could provide to the Mudgee/Gulgong community.
Leonie was responding to earlier
expressions of interest from people who were interested
in undertaking training from CJSN. Following the visit,
five people expressed interest in participating in the
Court and Police training and nominated themselves as
'the can do team'. These people are already undertaking
some court support to clients they support through their
various services. Comprehensive training will certainly
assist them in continuing this role.
This group then took the initiative
to organise a meeting with the Mudgee Court Registrar
Anthony Goodwin, whose prior knowledge of CJSN, meant he
was keen to support this local initiative.
To complement the training of
workers at local services, IDRS Principal Solicitor,
Peter McGhee, will conduct a session for Local Court
staff, solicitors and Sergeants of Police on relevant
aspects of law pertaining to people with an intellectual
disability. Anthony volunteered to assist with organising
Peter's visit, and a date has been set for training the
Mudgee/Gulgong local workers in October.
Mudgee will also be an area where
the Train the Trainer Police Rights Package will
be promoted and utilised. Leonie will continue to support
this area, and promote the 1300 Information and Advice
line knowing that there is a network of skilled and
interested referral points.
They certainly are a 'Can Do Team'
at Mudgee/Gulgong.
Leonie has also been busy with
visits to Albury and Port Macquarie to ascertain areas of
need, and options and priorities for providing support
and capacity building.
CJSN Hunter
Nearly all the new volunteers from
the Hunter have had an opportunity to participate in
Court Supports due to the marked increase in referrals
from Newcastle DADHC case workers and the legal
profession. The Hunter has received 6 referrals and has
completed 17 Court supports in August.
The Geographical spread from these
supports are:
- 3 at Maitland Court
- 3 at Toronto
- 6 at Newcastle
Court
- 1 at Gosford
- 3 at Belmont
- 1 at Musellbrook
Numbers of Police supports and
police referrals are increasing too with 8 referrals and
7 supports.
At the time of going to print
Hunter CJSN had 17 court supports scheduled for
September.
CJSN Down South
August was a record month for CJSN
in the South, with a total of 15 supports provided in the
Illawarra and Shoalhaven. This included one Juvenile
support at Port Kembla Children's Court and one District
Court matter. Three Police supports were provided at
Wollongong station.
Support for the CJSN project is
growing in the South. Chief Inspector Wayne O'Keefe of
Lake Illawarra LAC and Sergeant Steve Edwards of
Shoalhaven LAC will be regulars on our Advisory
Committee. Also, thankyou to Paul Ryan C OIC and
Solicitor, Wollongong Legal Aid for joining the
committee.
The input from Police and Legal Aid
is invaluable to CJSN, particularly in the southern local
areas of the region where the demography and geography
varies greatly.
A warm welcome to all new CJSN
volunteers!
August has been a busy month for
volunteers: eight new volunteers have completed the two
day police training; seven volunteers have completed the
two day court training in both Nowra and Wollongong. This
mixed and experienced group will boost our resources
significantly as we continue to grow to meet demand.
The next step in the volunteer
process is to recruit some Aboriginal volunteers from the
Shoalhaven to enable us to provide more culturally
appropriate supports, including Circle Sentencing support
for people with intellectual disabilities. Enquiries are
welcome – phone Karen: (02) 4464 2733.
Regional Coordinator – Karen
Morrow presented information about CJSN and rights for
people with intellectual disabilities to the Illawarra
Self Advocacy Group, and a feature article on CJSN
titled “Unsung Heroes” was published in the
Illawarra Mercury.
CJSN also had an information stall
at the “Illawarra Expo of Options & Services for
People with Disabilities”
CJSN Meets with Staff at
Wollongong Court
A very positive action meeting took
place with Wollongong Court Registrar and staff recently
to discuss existing gaps and barriers for people with
intellectual disabilities attending Wollongong Court,
particularly on busy list days.
Issues such as: access;
administrative processes; effective communication;
information; signage; health and safety, were
brainstormed.
Some innovative new improvements
will be trialled as a result and we will continue to
report as they roll out over the coming months. This was
an initiative of Registrar Bill Wheeler and the Southern
Advisory Committee. Many thanks to Wollongong Court for
its continuing commitment to CJSN and people with an
intellectual disability.
AVO’s - Resources
Being involved in any part of the
AVO process is extremely confusing and stressful for
people with intellectual disabilities.
CJSN staff and volunteers are
regularly faced with the challenges this process
presents, and assisting people to understand the many
options, implications and requirements of
outcomes.
Sally Chopping, Hunter Regional
Co-ordinator, has been working with law students of the
Newcastle University Legal Centre to develop
resources that will assist volunteers and staff in their
role of supporting people through the AVO
process.
The final draft is now being
reviewed and will soon be available for volunteers to add
to their “bag of tricks”, and will also be
available on our website, so keep your eye out if
you’re interested.
Extended Funding for
CJSN
Funding for the CJSN project from
the Department of Ageing, Disability and Home Care
has been extended until June 2006.
This was excellent news. CJSN was
originally funded as a pilot project for three years
until December 2005. With an extensive evaluation of the
project currently underway, and the project continuing to
develop, we are certain that CJSN will be able to
demonstrate the importance of the role it plays in the
criminal justice system, so that it will be seriously
considered for continued funding beyond June
2006.
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