Religious and Spiritual Services

Community outcome

Religious and Spiritual Services will contribute to the Department’s mission through the following community outcomes:

• A safe and strong community through reduced rates of recidivism (particularly for Aboriginal people) and increased confidence in the corrective services system; and
• Successful reintegration of prisoners into the community, with prisoners positively contributing to family, culture and community.

Service-level outcome(s)

• Increased opportunities for prisoners and young people to practice their chosen faith regardless of their beliefs with a focus on pastoral care.
• Increased access for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people to recognised spiritual support, or recognised Elders in order to encourage observance of customs related to languages, food, death, healing, art, storytelling, rites of passage and tribal traditions.
• Increased access for prisoners and young people to spiritual leaders from their chosen religion for services, religious and spiritual visits, religious instruction and private religious and spiritual counselling.

Description of potential service requirements

Service requirements include but are not limited to the following:

• Provision of religious and spiritual services to prisoners and young people.

• Provision of pastoral care to prisoners and young people regardless of their beliefs.
• Provision of recognised spiritual support to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.
• Connecting prisoners with other religious organisations as required.
• Contributing to the overall wellbeing of the correctional facility.