The Role of Culture in Identity Transformation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Men who have Sexually Offended: Findings from a Cultural Mentoring Reintegration Program
Kelly Richards
Queensland University of Technology, Faculty of Law, School of Justice
Senior Lecturer
Reintegration following prison can be especially challenging for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander (A&TSI) people who have sexually offended, as many are not allowed to return to their home communities due to the nature of their offending. One innovative practice initiative that has been introduced to alleviate this issue is the Cultural Mentoring Program, which provides A&TSI offenders with one-on-one cultural and spiritual mentoring support from an Elder. After providing a brief overview of this A&TSI-led program, this presentation will explore how (re)connecting offenders with aspects of A&TSI cultures shaped the desistance journeys of the men who participated in the program. In particular, it will give voice to the men who participated in the study, and demonstrate, in their words, how culture shapes their identity transformations post-prison.
The study was funded by Australia's National Research Organisation for Women’s Safety (ANROWS) and is part of a larger study about sexual offender reintegration in Australia. Findings from the research will have relevance beyond the Cultural Mentoring Program, as very little has been documented about good practice in reintegrating A&TSI offenders generally or A&TSI sex offenders specifically.