Application
This unit applies to correctional services staff working with offenders in prisons and secure custodial centres. With changes based on different organisation's needs, it can apply to workers in juvenile detention, immigration detention, or other contexts where working with detained persons is part of the work role. Customisation will be required to accommodate the different work sites and defined work role contexts in which this unit will be applied. | |
Prerequisites
Not applicable | |
Elements and Performance Criteria
ELEMENT | PERFORMANCE CRITERIA | ||||
1Process offenders' reception. | 1.1 Organise the reception of offenders according to the requirements of the sentence plan and organisation's procedures and guidelines. 1.2 Use communication strategies to set up a calm, positive and relevant exchange of information and to relieve anxiety and distress. 1.3 Confirm correct identification and accurate documentation of the offenders through effective two-way communication and from gathering information from a range of identified sources. 1.4 Collect, check, confirm, complete and pass on relevant paperwork according to organisational procedures and reception duties. 1.5 Maintain security and safety and implement emergency procedures where necessary. | ||||
2Determine the priority needs of offenders. | 2.1 Identify and respond to the routine immediate needs of offenders according to operating procedures and local guidelines. 2.2 Provide offenders with information that is tailored to their capacity to absorb and designed to calm and reassure. 2.3 Observe offenders and note any signs of distress, anxiety, aggression and apathy. 2.4 Observe offenders and note signs of impairment of functioning. 2.5 Accurately record behaviour or signs that arouse concern and report that information to the appropriate people. 2.6 Initiate emergency alerts according to the degree of urgency and emergency procedures. 2.7 Provide personal and basic requirements according to offenders' needs and the conditions of the service. | ||||
2.8 Refer offenders to specialist services according to offender needs and set procedures. 2.9 Administer offenders' property according to organisational procedures. |
Required Skills
This section describes the essential skills and knowledge and their level, required for this unit. | |
Required skills: complying with the organisation's operating procedures for the reception of offenders knowing and applying statutory obligations and duty of care using the organisation's information management system to gather and record offender information using effective communication strategies with people from a range of different cultural backgrounds to gather and provide information necessary for offender reception checking and confirming the accuracy, relevance and details of offender identity and sentence conditions taking into account security, safety and protective issues for offenders who are at risk and applying emergency procedures knowing and using the support services available for offenders with special needs referring offenders to specialist services according to procedures and risk providing for offenders' immediate needs according to procedures responding promptly and effectively to risks and emergencies. | |
Required knowledge: principles and methods of effective communication, including: questioning techniques, including the use of open questions and careful active listening using language and words to create trust checking understanding and agreement avoiding and challenging discrimination using techniques, such as reflection and summarising recognising cultural differences and how they effect communication and understanding maintaining the focus and direction of the interaction organisation's policies and procedures, including: information systems and security confidentiality and freedom of information using sources of information, such as offender database and files | |
information reporting and formats duty of care and code of conduct offender assessment and referral managing high risk offenders emergency response special needs that offenders may have, including: use of interpreters recognition of their personalities, culture and sensitivities that effect behaviour and levels of stress use of liaison staff and community representatives helping people who have problems with reading and writing the effect that some personal conditions have on behaviour and communication the effect that trauma and distress have on behaviour and communication explaining and interpreting the sentencing and reception system range of additional services that are available to people if they need them and the conditions of those services, including specialist staff from inside and outside the prison principles of managing conflict so that it doesn't create risks, including: effect of language and physical mannerisms defusing aggression dealing with active and passive uncooperative behaviour cultural differences in creating and responding to conflict and stress effect of differences in personal values and beliefs on behaviour and communication using calm and confident behaviour to model cooperation. |
Evidence Required
The Evidence Guide provides advice on assessment and must be read in conjunction with the performance criteria, required skills and knowledge, the range statement and the Assessment Guidelines for this Training Package. | ||
Overview of assessment | Evidence for assessment must be gathered over time in a range of contexts to ensure the person can achieve the unit outcome and apply the competency in different situations or environments. | |
Critical aspects for assessment and evidence required to demonstrate competency in this unit | In addition to integrated demonstration of the elements and their related performance criteria, look for evidence that confirms: the knowledge requirements of this unit the skill requirements of this unit application of employability skills as they relate to this unit. | |
Context of and specific resources for assessment | This unit contains a wide range of variables to reflect the diverse nature of offender induction and the different services provided in and for correctional services. Selection from the range of variables will reflect the specific requirements of the work site and the defined work role. Valid assessment of this unit requires: a workplace environment or one that closely resembles normal work practice and replicates the range of conditions likely to be encountered by an individual inducting offenders effectively as part of a coordinated team, including coping with difficulties, irregularities and changes to routine copies of legislation, policies, procedures and guidelines relating to inducting offenders access to appropriate learning and assessment support when required. | |
Method of assessment | The following assessment methods are suggested: observation of performance in routine workplace activities within a range of agreed responsibilities and in various work locations written and/or oral questioning to assess knowledge and understanding completion of workplace documents and reports produced as part of routine work activities third-party reports from experienced practitioners completion of performance feedback from supervisors and colleagues. | |
Guidance information for assessment | Assessment methods should reflect workplace demands, and any identified special needs of the candidate, including language and literacy implications and cultural factors that may affect responses to the questions. In all cases where practical assessment is used it will be combined with targeted questioning to assess the underpinning knowledge. |
Range Statement
The range statement relates to the unit of competency as a whole. It allows for different work environments and situations that may affect performance. Bold italicised wording in the performance criteria is detailed below. Add any essential operating conditions that may be present with training and assessment depending on the work situation, needs of the candidate, accessibility of the item, and local industry and regional contexts. | ||
Organisation's procedures and guidelines may be influenced by: | detention centre, prison and custodial environment community setting level of security location, layout and design offender history, profile and classification accommodation and services provided reception facilities and delegations type of record system available equipment security system and procedures. | |
Immediate needs may include: | specialist services and referrals suitable accommodation acceptable or required clothing and personal items hygiene needs health, injury and illness storage and return of property influence of drugs, alcohol or other substances protection from themselves or others cultural, religious and ethnic needs stress, depression, anxiety and trauma language and interpreter. | |
Referring offenders to specialist services may include the following specialist services: | medical psychological cultural, religious and spiritual accommodation counselling protection emergency. |
Sectors
Unit sector | Offender management |
Competency Field
Not applicable | |
Co-Requisites
Not applicable | |
Employability Skills
The required outcomes described in this unit of competency contain applicable facets of employability skills. The Employability Skills Summary of the qualification in which this unit of competency is packaged, will assist in identifying employability skills requirements. | |
Licensing Information
Not applicable.