Elders helping prevent Indigenous re-incarceration
Nearly a quarter of Australia’s prison population is made up by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, with 80 percent of them having been incarcerated before their current sentence.
On top of that, half of them have been behind bars multiple times.
Post-prison service delivery and prevention programs can help to reduce the chances of re-incarceration, but often fall short due to lack of funding or inability to reach those they aim to engage.
Megan Williams, Wiradjuri woman and Senior Lecturer from the Graduate School of Health at the University of Technology Sydney, has worked in health service and delivery for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people for more than 20 years.
Her recent work is looking at informal Elder-run Aboriginal community groups and how they can help keep their loved ones out of jail.
