"New Paradigms,
Old Challenges" 11th and 12th October 2011
Call for abstracts now
open
The topic of Forensic Disabilities
continues to be a focal point in the media and in many communities
across Western society. We are seeing a disproportionate growth in
numbers of people with disabilities (including intellectual
disability, ABI and/or a mental illness) in correctional
services and settings. This coupled with the emergence of a "new
style" of 21st century offending along with the continued debate
around risk and civil detention, and the increasing interplay
between the correctional and disability sectors has brought
'offenders with a disability' increasingly into the
spotlight.
At the same time, legislatures
across Australia, as well as internationally, are introducing and
reviewing legislation pertaining to compulsory treatment and civil
detention, incarcerating increasing numbers of unwell individuals
with complex needs (including homelessness, substance abuse, long
periods of unemployment etc) as part of a "punishment" response.
However, it remains unclear whether these legal regimes are
improving the situation and individual circumstances of those
affected or whether they are placing people with an intellectual
disability, ABI and/or a mental illness at further disadvantage.
Within the sector, there is a degree of apprehension that
stems from the changes to legislation and there is a risk that this
may lead to complacency, thus leading to a failure to ensure that
offenders with a disability are provided with services and
treatment that are of benefit and that most appropriately respond
to their individual needs.
Do we just punish, or punish and
rehabilitate and support, or even provide better supports and early
interventions to prevent this group from entering the criminal
justice system? A complex topic, the 6th ACSO Forensic Disabilities
Conference provides the platform for frontline staff,
practitioners, professionals, consumers and policy makers to
explore emerging trends, evidence based practices and research
regarding the efficacy of compulsory treatment, as well looking at
alternative or complimentary options including therapeutic
programs, treatment, housing and wrap around support, alongside the
ongoing implications on human rights within the forensic disability
arena.
CALL FOR
ABSTRACTS NOW OPEN
We would welcome contributions
related to the conference title but abstracts in the following
themes are sought (please feel free to add something outside of
these suggested topics)
- Impact of compulsory treatment and civil detention on human
rights
- Treatment approaches for offenders with a disability (including
intellectual disability, ABI and/or a mental illness) what
works?
- 'Newly' identified disabilities in the forensic disability
arena and approaches to addressing these
- Impacts of substance use for offenders with a disability
(including intellectual disability, ABI and/or a mental
illness)
- Impacts of homelessness for offenders with a disability
(including intellectual disability, ABI and/or a mental
illness)
- Best Practices in Re-entry Programs and Initiatives
- Community Corrections and Probation
- Fire setting
- The impact of the internet
- Managing Sex Offenders in the Community
- Innovation in Community-Based Interventions
- Older offenders and their impact
- Managing complex needs and providing wrap around support
Guidelines
for the submission of Abstracts for the ACSO Forensic Disabilities
Conference 2011
Abstracts are to be lodged via the
online abstract portal below and are due no later than 15th July
2011. Abstracts will be considered on the following conditions:
- Abstracts of all papers and posters should be a maximum of
200 words
- Abstracts for symposia and workshops should not exceed a
total of 600 words
- All presenters must register & pay for at least the day
of the conference on which they are presenting
- Papers must be presented by the authors. proxies will not
be permitted except in an emergency such as illness or
misadventure
- The Committee reserves the right to edit grammatical errors
or request additional information, prior to accepting or declining
the abstract submission for presentations, symposia, panel
discussions or poster presentations
- The Committee reserves the right to allocate a session time
or presentation type, which differs from that applied for
Submit your abstract by following this
link