Fourteen new jobs have been created at three Hunter jails as part of a new approach that will provide case managers to inmates at high risk of reoffending.
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The jobs at Cessnock, Shortland and St Heliers correctional centres are among 150 that Corrective Services NSW is rolling out across the state.
The new model involves case workers developing tailor-made plans for inmates while in custody and providing support after their release.
Cessnock Correctional Centre senior case management officer Kerri Bird said she was eager to get involved.
“I have spent a large part of my life providing support and education to some of the community’s most vulnerable people and I know all too well the importance of having effective case management,” she said.
“This model is focused on making sure that offenders connect with the right people and networks each step of the way during their contact with the justice system, which is exactly where I think the focus should be.”
Corrective Services NSW estimates 20,000 inmates across the state will be involved in the program over the next three years.
“The improved model provides a more consistent approach to case managing offenders throughout their contact with the correctional system, particularly in cases where they cycle between community supervision and custody,” CSNSW commissioner Peter Severin said.
“Most importantly, every contact with an offender will be focused on reducing their reoffending risk.”
