The North Australian Aboriginal Justice Agency (NAAJA) Throughcare Program and the Northern Territory Department of Correctional Services (NTDCS)
NAAJA’s Throughcare Program provides intensive pre and post release support to Aboriginal people from the Darwin Correctional Centre and Don Dale Youth Detention Centre.
Two of our nine Case Managers work specifically with people with convictions relating to domestic and family violence. We commence working with clients six months prior to their release from prison. During this pre-release phase, we work to establish rapport with clients and provide support to formulate realistic and achievable post-release plans that take account of their needs, risks and goals. We take a strength-based approach to our work and where appropriate involve family in the planning process to strengthen support for our clients on return to their community.
In collaboration with Treatment Services at the Darwin Correctional Centre, our DV Case Managers attend the Family Violence Program and glean their caseloads from participants. Many of our clients participate in programs during their incarceration and while this is positive, we’re conscious prison is an environment where people are not faced with the realities of release, including the pressures they face upon release. We seek to enhance the value of program participation by continuing conversations about family violence when clients are developing their post-release plans and reiterating strategies learnt once they have returned home.
This joint presentation with Family Violence Program Facilitators from the Darwin Correctional Centre will showcase the unique partnership being developed in supporting Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people with lived experience of prison to reintegrate back into the community.
Cindy Torrens
NAAJA Throughcare
Domestic and Family Violence Case Manager
Cindy commenced her first support role in Katherine with the Anglicare NT Supported Accommodation Assistance Program. Since that time, she’s worked in both government and non-government organisations, providing support primarily to Indigenous people in the areas of health, housing and criminal justice. Cindy has also spent some time recently living and working in New Zealand where she worked with social housing provider, Link People (formerly Keys Social Housing) a non-government organisation supporting those experiencing mental health and addiction to access safe, affordable and long-term housing. She is currently employed as a senior case manager at NAAJA Throughcare where she works specifically with people with family and domestic violence related convictions.
Salas Abraham
NAAJA Throughcare
Domestic and Family Violence Case Manager