We've compiled top highlights from recent research, policy, and practice resources across the world for our latest IACFP International News summary. Our topics for November and December, 2023 include recent research; policy updates; considerations for practice; and upcoming conferences.
1. IACFP Updates
- New Board Members
Please join us in welcoming Joel Dvoskin (United States) and Jessica Borg (New Zealand), new at-large IACFP board members. They will begin their 3-year terms of board service 1 January 2024.
Joel A. Dvoskin, Ph.D., ABPP, currently serves as Assistant Professor (Clinical) University of Arizona College of Medicine, Independent Monitor of selected systems, co-founder and Partner, Heroes Active Bystandership Training, Consultant, Training Instructor and Psychologist, Project ABLE (Active Bystandership for Law Enforcement), and a private practice in forensic psychology. All this if after a significant career leading forensic services’ systems in New York, Virginia, and Arizona. Joel’s honors include Diplomate in Forensic Psychology, American Board of Professional Psychology; Fellow American Psychological Association; and Fellow, American Psychology-Law Society.
Jessica Borg currently serves as the Chief Psychologist/General Manager Psychology & Programmes at Ara Poutama/Department of Corrections. As the Chief Psychologist, she has strategic responsibility for the design, development, implementation and monitoring of psychological services and rehabilitation programmes and interventions. Jessica has worked for Corrections for 15 years holding both frontline and National Office roles as a Senior Clinical Psychologist. Prior to joining the Department of Corrections, Jessica worked for the Waikato District Health Board in Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services. Jessica has a special interest in the human rights field and prior to becoming a psychologist she completed a MA in Human Rights sponsored by the European Union.
-
Criminal Justice and Behavior Leadership Changes
As 2023 draws to a close, IACFP would like to recognize Jaime S. Henderson, Ph.D., Managing Director of Criminal Justice and Behavior. Professionally, Dr. Henderson serves as Director of Data Science and Research for The Innocence Project. Jaime’s leadership and involvement with CJB spans nearly twenty years. For the last nine years, she has served as Managing Editor; prior to that she served for ten years on the Editorial Board and before that as an Editorial Assistant.
As Jaime steps back from her leadership role at CJB, it is important to note that all the CJB Editors-in-Chief and SAGE editors and production staff she has worked with sing Jaime’s praises. And, the authors of articles published in CJB have often written her notes of thanks for making their research and writing better than it was before her feedback and magic touch. Jaime has provided steady and gifted leadership to CJB during her tenure as Managing Director. The IACFP Board applauds her work!
Dr. Mark Olver’s current term as Editor-in-Chief of Criminal Justice and Behavior will end December 31, 2023. IACFP is grateful to Mark for the leadership he provided to CJB during a time of transition and for his previous work as an Associate Editor of CJB. He did an outstanding job! Mark Olver, Ph.D. is a registered doctoral psychologist with the Saskatchewan College of Psychologists and Associate Professor in the Department of Psychology at the University of Saskatchewan. He will continue his academic responsibilities and areas of research interests as he leaves CJB. And, he will continue to nurture his sweet daughter!
We hope that Jaime and Mark will continue to be involved with CJB in less demanding roles.
2. Research
- Criminological Highlights
The September 2023 issue of Criminological Highlights, Vol. 21, Number 1, is available here. It is published by the Centre for Criminological and Sociolegal Studies at the University of Toronto.
This issue of Criminological Highlights addresses the following questions:
- Is morality in our society really declining?
- What businesses increase firearms homicides?
- Do mothers who were incarcerated neglect their children’s education?
- Why are Black defendants less likely to get pretrial release?
- What if police strength in a community changes?
- Does skin darkness make a difference for people other than Blacks charged with offences?
- Does climate change contribute to crime?
- Do body worn cameras improve the reputation of police?
This issue highlights a wide range of issues, including morality, climate change, mothers who are incarcerated, skin darkness bias, and policing. IACFP Bulletin readers will find them interesting and well-written summaries.
- Advancing Corrections Journal-Issue 16 (2023)
The most recent issue of Advancing Corrections Journal, published by the International Corrections and Prison Association, focuses on “Reforming Corrections Through Technology”.
The articles in this journal will be of great interest to readers of the IACFP Bulletin. They provide summaries of research on implementation, guides to decision making about technology and its role in correctional systems, ways in which systems have applied technology to improve safety, security, service delivery, outcomes, and reintegration. Technology is not just for improving efficiency! While we often talk about human rights in corrections, this journal issue also explores individual’s digital rights. It expands our view of what it means to reform corrections. It is highly recommended!
3. Policy and Practice
IACFP is the founder of IACFP Europe, a public interest foundation in Belgium. IACFP Europe has been a partner in the REEDU Project, an inclusive approach to inmate social rehabilitation and education, since 2020. The project coordinator is CIK Trebnje; project partners are University of Malta, Association of the Centres for Social Work of Slovenia, Bremen Senate of Justice and Constitution, Nemčija, and Baia Mare Penitentiary, Romunija.
The final conference for this project was recently held at Rimsek-Terme in Slovenia. Cherie Townsend, Executive Director, IACFP Europe and IACFP, presented on one of the project’s work products, i.e., “Guidelines for Implementing a Project Based Learning Approach with Systemic Practice and Positive Criminology to Education and Rehabilitation”. Access to the “Guidelines” can be found by accessing this QR code. Dr. Sarah Lewis and Ruth McFarlane were also involved in the presentation.
IACFP Europe worked with Rhianon Williams from Bremen Senate of Justice and Constitution to develop the policy recommendations of the project. They are illustrated here:
4. Upcoming Conferences
- American Correctional Association (ACA) Winter Conference, January 4-7, 2024
Additional information on ACA’s winter conference can be found at www.aca.org.
- 6th World Congress on Probation adn Parole, April 16-18, 2024
The Netherlands will host the 6th World Congress on Probation and Parole in The Hague. Reclassering NL invite interested parties to a varied and inspiring congress on the theme 'The future of probation and parole': how do we see and utilize probation and parole in different settings and developments? What can we learn from the past? And what can we learn from each other? More information can be found here.
- Technology in Corrections (TIC), April 21-24, 2024
More information can be found at here.
- Spring Conference on Correctional Health Care, April 27, 2024
More information available here.
Schedule of Events
Saturday, April 27 – Preconference seminars
Sunday, April 28 – Preconference seminars, CCHP exams, Exhibit hall opening reception
Monday-Tuesday, April 29-30 – Conference Sessions, Exhibit Hall
