Young people’s Perception of Group Climate in Juvenile Justice Centers in an Australian State, a Pilot Study

Abstract

There is ample evidence to demonstrate that a positive group climate in juvenile justice centers contributes to improvements in motivation for positive behavior and reducing incidents and even recidivism. Being provided opportunities for growth and development and being actively supported by well-trained staff creates a positive atmosphere and minimal repression. Such a pedagogical group climate is strongly related to fulfilling the basic psychological needs of the young people and is promoted by relational security. Following a series of challenging situations inside youth justice centers in Australia, we explored the opportunities for investing in staff training on awareness of basic psychological needs of these young people and introducing the concept of an open, positive group climate. This study reports the results of an explorative measurement of perceived group climate in four units of two juvenile justice centers in Victoria (Australia). The young people ( N = 57) were provided with the Prison Group Climate Instrument. The results of the group climate research and a cross-cultural comparison show that there are inherent strengths but also important opportunities for improvement in the group climate experienced by young people. Recommendations to improve the group climate are discussed in this paper.

Relational security: The impact of facility design on youth custodial staffs' practices and approaches

“…This is consistent with the notion of detaining young people in the least restrictive environment possible and differentiating security based on individual risks and needs (Brogan et al., 2015). Previous research in Victorian Youth Justice facilities described how staff reported that the general safety measures increased in response to incidents at the units (e.g., more security staff and higher fences) did not necessarily make the units safer (van Miert et al., 2021). In the current study staff described how the inability to differentiate between young people based on individual needs contributed to an unsafe environment.…”

Psychometric analysis of the Group Climate Inventory—Revised in adults with mild intellectual disability or borderline intellectual functioning in a secure residential facility

“…In addition, the measure was designed from the outset to be suitable for use with clients with mild intellectual disability or borderline intellectual functioning, as reflected in its relatively simply worded items. The GCI, derived from the Prison Group Climate Instrument (Van der Helm et al, 2009, 2011), is a 29‐item measure used in secure residential facilities for youth or adults in the Netherlands, Germany, and Australia (Heynen et al, 2014, 2017; Van Miert et al, 2021). Using four scales that represent the factors ‘Support’, ‘Growth’, ‘Repression’, and ‘Atmosphere’, the GCI maps whether there is a more open or more closed perceived group climate.…”