Current Research
The following are current research projects undertaken by the Centre for Health Research in Criminal Justice (CHRCJ) in a lead or partnership role. If you would like to find out more about these projects please contact the CHRCJ or call (02) 8372 3000.
Current research - lead
Development/implementation stage
1. ADHD and comorbid substance use disorders among NSW prison inmates
- Aim: To determine the prevalence of ADHD, other mental health and substance use disorders in prison
- Current status: Study implementation is underway.
2. Annual Patient Snapshot Survey
- Aim: To collect key patient experience and other key indicator data (prevalence of social determinants of health and health status) from Justice Health custody and community populations
- Current status: Preparing report for 2011 survey and planning for 2012 survey.
3. Brief Jail Mental Health Screen
- Aim: To evaluate the Brief Jail Mental Health screen among new prison inmates
- Current status: All ethical approvals obtained. Planning implementation in early 2012.
4. Care Navigation Support Program (CNSP) Evaluation
- Aim: To evaluation the Justice Health Care Navigation Support Program.
- Current status: Justice Health and CSNSW ethics approval received. Planning implementation.
5. Evaluation of Justice Health smoking cessation programs
- Aim: To evaluation a number of smoking cessation programs in Justice Health including doing a women and smoking project, and smoking projects in Lithgow, Nowra and CDTC
- Current status: Seeking Justice Health and CSNSW ethical approvals.
6. Hepatitis B vaccination Randomised Controlled Trial for adult prisoners
- Aim: To compare usual Hep B vaccination schedule (0, 1, 3 months) with an accelerated (0, 7, 21 days) schedule. To determine protection against vaccine preventable diseases.
- Current status: Seeking relevant ethical approvals. Planning study implementation.
7. Inmate throughput study (UNSW partner)
- Aim: To determine the annual prevalence of new prison reception, prison exits, length of stay
- Current status: Study implementation underway in partnership with CSNSW.
8. Patient Experiences of Opiate Substitution Treatment (OST) in prison (UNSW partner)
- Aim: To explore the patient experience of the Justice Health OST program.
- Current status: JH ethics approval received. Planning study implementation
Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) pilot intervention study (UNSW partner)
- Aim: To conduct a pilot randomised controlled trial for 30 men to determine if a counselling based intervention called Seeking Safety is effective to manage PTSD symptoms among men with substance use disorders
- Current status: Recruitment and treatment is complete. Finalising 6-month follow-ups.
10. Psychosis and offending study (NSW Health, BOCSAR partners)
- Aim: To assess the association between psychotic illness and offending over ten-year period using data linkage of court outcomes and mental health admissions (inpatient & outpatient)
- Current status: Seeking NSW Health Population & Health Services Research ethics approval.
Reporting stage
11. Aboriginal Men in Custody Study (Attorney General's partner)
- Aim: To investigate the experiences of Aboriginal men in the criminal justice system (including trauma and racism) using participants from the 2009 Inmate Health Survey.
- Current status: Study recruitment is complete. Report is being drafted.
12. Evaluation of Smoke-free Forensic Hospital
- Aim: To evaluate the process and experience of staff and patients relating to the smoke-free policy for the opening of the new forensic hospital
- Current status: Study is complete. Writing report. Submitted one journal article.
13. 2009 Inmate Health Survey
- Aim: To describe the physical & mental health status of adult inmates in NSW
- Current status: Key findings and Aboriginal Health report published. Drafting journal articles.
14. Smoking Cessation Randomised Clinical Trial (UNSW partner)
- Aim: To evaluate the effectiveness of nortryptyline (in combination with NRT and CBT) for assisting with smoking cessation among adult male inmates in NSW
- Current status: Study is complete. Drafting journal articles.
15. Vaccine Preventable diseases study (part of 2010 BBV survey)
- Aim: To assess the prevalence of immunity to vaccine-preventable diseases in prison entrants
- Current status: Study implementation is complete. Drafting journal article.
Workplace Behavioural Incidents study
- Aim: To determine the prevalence of violence and aggression experienced by JH staff, including those perpetrated by other health staff, patients or officers
- Current status: Study is complete. Drafting report and journal articles.
17. 2009 Young People in Custody Health Survey (Juvenile Justice partner)
- Aim: To describe the physical & mental health status of young offenders in NSW
- Current status: Key findings report has been published. Follow-up report being drafted. Journal articles being prepared.
Current research - CHRCJ partner
18. Ageing offenders study - Monash University
- Aim: To determine the health of ageing prisoners in NSW and Victoria
- Current status: Project implementation underway.
19. Hepatitis C Incidence and Transmission Study (HITS) - UNSW
- Aim: To determine the incidence of Hepatitis C infection in prisoners
- Current status: Rolling cohort ongoing. Journal articles being prepared.
20. Impulsivity study - UNSW
- Aim: To conduct a randomised controlled trial using an SSRI for impulsive repeat violent offenders
- Current status: Ethical approvals being sought. Revised study to be based in community corrections and courts.
21. Indigenous Australians with Mental Health Disorders and Cognitive Disabilities (MHDCD) in the Criminal Justice System - UNSW
- Aim: To investigate the pathways Indigenous people with MHDCD take through the criminal justice system.
- Current status: Study implementation is underway
22. National Prisoner Health Census - AIHW, all states/territories
- Aim: To develop an annual national snapshot of prisoner health
- Current status: 2012 Census planning underway.
23. OST, mortality and recidivism among prisoners: a 22-year data linkage study - UNSW, Burnett
- Aim: To assess the impact of OST on mortality and recidivism among prisoners
- Current status: Project planning underway. Ethical approvals being sought.
24. Social and Cultural Resilience of Aboriginal Mothers (SCREAM) in Prison study - UNSW
- Aim: To assess the experiences of Aboriginal Mothers in Custody
- Current status: Study implementation underway.
Completed research
1. 2010 National Blood Borne Virus and Risk Behaviours Survey
2. 2009 Young People in Custody Health Survey: Full Report.
5. 2009 National Prisoner Health Indicator Report (with AIHW)
6. Mental health, substance use and recidivism among inmates (BOCSAR report published)
7. Offense-related debt among substance-using offenders (with UNSW) (article published)
8. Impulsivity pilot project using a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (article published)