Community Management and Engagement: Working with Muslim Offenders in NSW Corrections

New South Wales Corrective Services currently employs two Client Liaison Officers (CLO's) in the Inner Metropolitan Region of Sydney. Anecdotal evidence suggests that the CLO working with the Aboriginal community has had more success in reducing recidivism rates than that of the Bankstown CLO who works with Muslim offenders. This literature review examined reasons for this trend. Factors which prevented offenders from engaging with intervention and programmes were examined with special focus on the limitations of risk assessment tools, especially the LSI-R. The principles of what works was examined and it was concluded that best practice would be the use of the Risk-Needs-Responsivity (RNR) model to be complemented by the Good Lives Model. Current research suggests that criminogenic needs have been determined on predominantly white male offenders and therefore Muslim offenders are not having their needs assessed correctly. This is affecting their responsivity to treatment programmes and it is concluded that treatment programmes should incorporate cultural factors to be more successful. Motivational interviewing is examined and it is suggested that combining this technique with more culturally responsive risk assessments should be adapted in order to work with this offending population. It was concluded that culturally specific programmes, like Walking Together for Aboriginal offenders, are needed for the Muslim offenders in Bankstown. A United Kingdom example was explained and shown to be successful when dealing specifically with Muslim offenders. It was suggested that a similar programme in NSW which incorporates Muslim community organisations be implemented. Recommendations included that there should be a review of risk assessment tools regarding Muslim offenders, that motivational interviewing with Muslim offenders be implemented and specific needs based programmes be implemented specifically for Muslim offenders.