Goulburn supermax prison unveils radical new terrorist rehab program
Prisoners convicted of terrorist-related offences are undertaking a new program to help them prepare for their release. See the exclusive video and hear the audio.
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Exclusive: Convicted terror offenders are making cooking and fitness videos, watching blockbuster Hollywood films and being given entertainment subscriptions on tablets as part of radical new programs aimed at rehabilitating them before their release.
The Countering Violent Extremism Pathways (CVE) program, at Australia’s toughest prison, Supermax at Goulburn in NSW, ends a bizarre “Catch 22” situation which previously ranked the jailed jihadis “low risk” and not in need of reform.
As many as 15 prisoners — convicted of offences such as helping foreign fighters in Syria, and preparing for a terrorist act — will be set free from Australian jails within five years, having served their sentences.
While not all of them have volunteered for the CVE initiative, 18 “extreme high risk” inmates have already completed the reform program, which is the first of its kind in the country.
Watch the exclusive video above.
Corrective Services Commissioner, Kevin Corcoran, said “when we started out there was a lot of evidence that it was very, very, difficult to get people to disengage. And so we to come up with something that would work”.
“We can’t make people change their behaviours or attitudes but we can certainly offer them an alternate route and give people who deserve a second chance an opportunity to make that change to their lives and get out into the community and be successful,” Mr Corcoran said.
“But there will be people who won’t work with you.”
CVE Program manager Naomi Prince said prisoners unable to access programs lost hope.
“They were stuck, there was no way out. It didn’t matter whether them behaving themselves, there was still no way out.
“So we’ve changed that because we do our own assessments (deeming them high or low risk) and we identify program pathways for people who were otherwise not eligible.”
Listen to audio from a Goulburn Supermax prisoner about how the radical new terrorist rehab program is helping.
Ms Prince explained how the entertainment packages and tablets are available to all inmates, but compliment the multifaceted CVE program which aims to help prisoners make ideological and behavioural changes that will allow them to step down to lower security classifications and more freedoms as they work towards their eventual release.
The Supermax Governor, Faith Slatcher, said it is important to work with the guys so they can be released with less risk to the community.
“They are still people and you are never going to effect change in people, that you are not treating appropriately,” she said.
The CVE initiative is complemented by a life skills program run at Macquarie prison in Dubbo, NSW, where inmates are producing videos on exercise and cooking — right down to how to make caramel custard slice.
At Supermax, the CVE program starts the moment prisoners arrive at Supermax in “fresh” custody, shackled and cuffed.
Their personal circumstances and needs are assessed, along with any drug or alcohol problems, mental and physical health conditions, cognitive impairments, and their broader background.
This allows the CVE team of psychologists to put together personalised rehabilitation plans.
Psychologists who run the CVE program say it is entirely voluntary and prisoners can’t be forces to take part.
Ms Prince said when the prisoners come in, typically, “they are guarded”.
She says for some it can take years before they decide to engage – if at all. In fact, it is understood some inmates in the Supermax may never engage.
The long-term goal of the program is rehabilitation to help them become productive members of society.
“It is a matter of finding the things that motivate them,” Ms Prince said. “Parole is a primary carrot.”
Importantly for offenders who undergo the disengagement program, they are assured they don’t have to give up their religion.
“Religion can be a helpful factor,” Ms Prince said.
“Those prisoners with religious beliefs show more respect.”
Authorities are sharing the results of the CVE program with Corrective Services in other states including Victoria where a string of the highest security terror offenders are being held.
Abdul Nacer Benbrika remains in Barwon jail on a continuing detention order after serving his 15 year jail term.
Other terror offenders in Victorian jails due for release in the next few years include Khaled Temssah, who was convicted of attempting to travel overseas to help ISIS terrorists as well as Wissam Mahmoud Fattal, Saney Edow Aweys, and Nayef El Sayed, who were all convicted in the Victorian Supreme Court of conspiring to plot a suicide attack on the Holsworthy Army Barracks in Sydney.
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