Community Corrections graduates have been recognised at a ceremony held at the Queensland Corrective Services Academy.
The 23 graduates have completed the Practitioner Development Program (PDP).
Acting Commissioner for Corrective Services, Paul Stewart (pictured) welcomed the graduates saying Community Corrections officers acted as agents of change and played a vital role in keeping communities safe by preventing re-offending and supporting offenders to lead crime-free lives.
“Queensland Corrective Services manages and supervises over 18,000 offenders in the community, including supervising parolees, probationers and offenders subject to community service orders,” A/Commissioner Stewart said.
“The course undertaken by the graduates provides them with the fundamental skills required to perform in their role.”
He said throughout the training, officers expanded their skills in a range of areas, including risk management, pro-social modelling, cultural awareness, effective decision-making, trauma-informed practice and working with the victims and perpetrators of domestic and family violence.
“Community Corrections officers deal with the most challenging people in society and work to achieve positive public safety outcomes,” the A/Commissioner Stewart said.
“Our Community Corrections officers are a critical component of the correctional system, working hard each and every day to reconnect offenders with their community to break the cycle of re-offending.”
He said the graduates had shown tremendous commitment during their training — “a tribute to the work of the training team in preparing them for their community corrections careers”.
