What can the development of video visitation in Australian correctional centres tell us about organisational transformation?

ABSTRACT

Correctional services are closed, complex bureaucratic organisations which are historically slow to embrace change. Yet, the COVID-19 pandemic catalysed a dramatic shift to widespread video visitation across correctional services in Australia. Drawing on qualitative data with corrective services staff (n = 19) from six jurisdictions (Australian Capital Territory, New South Wales, Queensland, South Australia, Victoria and West Australia), this article charts the large-scale implementation of video visitation during the COVID-19 pandemic. It is argued that video visitation demonstrates uncharacteristic organisational agility in Australian corrective services which may provide optimism for change projects.

KEYWORDS:

• corrections; COVID-19
• digital technology
• family contact; visitation

Acknowledgements

The authors gratefully acknowledge the participation and assistance of the Australian Capital Territory Corrective Services, Corrective Services New South Wales, Queensland Corrective Services, South Australia Department for Correctional Services, Corrections Victoria, Department of Justice and the Government of Western Australia in this research. We extend our appreciation to the reviewers for their valuable comments.

The opinions, comments and/or analysis expressed in this article are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent the views of ACT (or other) correctional services and cannot be taken in any way as expressions of government policy.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Notes

1 Application reference numbers provided for the lead Human Research Ethics Committees.

2 Northern Territory did not use video visitation and was therefore not eligible to participate.

3 Tasmania Prison Service agreed to participate but did not provide data within the project data collection cycle.

Additional information

Funding

This research was funded by a Criminology Research Grant awarded by the Australian Institute of Criminology.