REHABILITATION PROGRAMMES FOR SPECIFIC GROUPS CONTEXT: Minority groups A 2017 report found that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women comprise 34 per cent of women behind bars in Australia but only two per cent of the adult female Australian population. The report also found that ‘the overwhelming majority of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women in prison are survivors of physical and sexual violence. Many also struggle with housing insecurity, poverty, mental illness, disability and the effects of trauma. These factors intersect with, and compound the impact of, oppressive and discriminatory laws, policies and practices, both past and present. Too often, the impact of the justice system is to punish and entrench disadvantage, rather than promoting healing, support and rehabilitation.’109 There are many steps that prison authorities can take to meet the particular rehabilitation needs of ethnic and racial minorities and Indigenous prisoners. These can include employing a representative number of staff from different backgrounds and training all staff in cultural sensitivity. Authorities can also consult with community representatives to understand how best to address the problems and barriers faced by their members within the criminal justice system and society as a whole. PROMISING PRACTICE: Indigenous prisons for women in Canada The Okimaw Ohci Healing Lodge (OOHL) is a multi-level security facility for women in Canada located on Nekaneet First Nation land. It was opened in 1985 as Canada’s first healing lodge for women offenders. It provides a unique environment where minimum- and medium-security offenders can work towards changing their lives through the educational, vocational, correctional and social programmes available to them in a culturally responsive setting. The practices, traditions, culture and values of the Nekaneet are taught to the residents. The OOHL represents a culturally and gender-informed option for federally incarcerated Indigenous women, or those who wish to follow a traditional healing path. Buffalo Sage Wellness House (BSWH) is another Indigenous healing lodge for women in Canada. It is a minimum- to medium-security facility with 28 beds, where Indigenous and non-Indigenous prisoners who present a low risk of flight or recidivism can apply to transfer to. Women living at the lodge can have supervised day trips, day parole and full parole. The centre is run by an Indigenous community that is responsible for implementing federal prison rules. The facility also provides programmes that focus on the root causes of offending and on managing past trauma. The effective operation of BSWH relies on the belief that Indigenous and non-Indigenous offenders who follow the Aboriginal culture require specific programmes that address their social, educational, emotional, physical and spiritual needs in a culturally sensitive way. BSWH develops appropriate programmes to assist women offenders in recognising their full potential for reintegration back into the community, and provides high-quality support and supervision for offenders by ensuring the protection of society, offenders and their communities. Prisoners with mental healthcare needs A disproportionately large number of prisoners, and particularly female prisoners, have mental health conditions. They are a particularly vulnerable group and have complex rehabilitation needs, including in relation to the healthcare they receive. Prisoners with mental health conditions are vulnerable to abuse in prisons and the discrimination and stigmatisation they encounter in the community can be magnified in prison settings. As with all prisoners, the rehabilitation of prisoners with mental healthcare needs depends on individualised assessments and adequate health screening and monitoring. However, there are many prisons around the world that are not equipped to carry out such assessments or provide appropriate mental healthcare. If prisons do not have qualified mental health professionals, then prison staff as well as other healthcare professionals should be trained to identify signs of emotional or psychological distress and know how to respond.110 Penal Reform International and Thailand Institute of Justice | Guide to the rehabilitation and social reintegration of women prisoners | 45