This Symposium is the second of its kind. In February 2016, Griffith Criminology Institute collaborated with Queensland Corrective Services on the first joint Symposium, with a focus on meeting complex health and social needs in custody and post-release.

GCI organised this 2018 Symposium in partnership with the QCS Research and Evaluation Unit. The theme of this Symposium was “Improving offender pathways: exploring effective supports in prisons, the community and beyond” with a focus on the many ways we can effectively improve offender outcomes.

The research evidence presented at this Symposium was not purely academic. The program was developed so that all sessions have practical significance for QCS staff in the field and also for those who support frontline operations. The program touches on many relevant issues and attendees took away new knowledge that can be applied in the corrective services workplace.

Many GCI researchers presented and 200 Queensland Corrective Services staff from every kind of operational and support role from every region of Queensland attended the symposium.

Over 200 staff from QCS attended the symposium
QCS Commissioner Peter Martin opened the event
Prof Alison Liebling from University of Cambridge delivers a keynote presentation
GCI researcher Dr Lacey Schaefer presenting on Reoffending reckonings and realities
GCI researcher Prof Susan Dennison presenting on Families as potential re-‘turning points’ in the desistance process
GCI researcher Assoc Prof John Rynne provided a summary and reflections at the close of the symposium