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Corrections Victoria - Research Ethics Application Guidelines

All research to be conducted in a correctional setting requires ethics approval and must receive support from Corrections Victoria prior to being submitted to the Department of Justice Human Research Ethics Committee (JHREC).

When deciding whether Corrections Victoria will support a research project, the Research and Evaluation Unit considers a range of factors such as, whether the research:

• raises ethical issues
• aligns to the strategic priorities of the organisation
• assists in building a knowledge base for policy development and practice
• places excessive demands on the proposed location and sample
• can be sufficiently resourced by Corrections Victoria.

The Corrections Victoria Research Strategy and Agenda 2009-2012, sets out the priority areas that guide our research activities. These documents are a valuable resource for those wishing to conduct research with prisoners,  offenders or Corrections Victoria staff and can be accessed under Related Pages on the right or by contacting Corrections Victoria.

It is important to note that, as Corrections Victoria receives a large number of requests for data and access to its staff, prisoners and offenders for research projects, we are unable to support all requests.

Process

The steps involved in obtaining support to conduct research in a correctional setting in Victoria are: 

1. Read the National Health and Medical Research Council’s National Statement on Ethical Conduct in Human Research (2007) under Web Links on the right. The National Statement sets out principles for the conduct of research involving humans and is the key document used by Human Research Ethics Committees when determining the scientific merit and ethical issues raised by research proposals.
2. Complete the ethics application form in accordance with the JHREC guidelines under Related Pages on the right. 
3. Forward your completed ethics application form (including all applicable attachments such as participant information sheets, consent forms, interview schedules, and questionnaires), to the Research and Evaluation Unit of Corrections Victoria (details provided below). Applications should be submitted electronically and received at least two weeks prior to the submission deadlines of the Department of Justice Human Research Ethics Committee (meeting and submission dates are available from ethics@justice.vic.gov.au.)
4. The Research and Evaluation Unit will assess whether there are any ethical issues arising from the research and consult with key Corrections Victoria stakeholders to obtain practitioner and policy perspectives on your area of interest and the potential utility of your research topic. This assessment will take into account:
   • current demands on the time and resources of the location
   • current demands on particular populations (such as sex offenders and female prisoners) in terms of time and effort and volume of research being undertaken
   • availability of Corrections Victoria staff to support the project (for example, providing data or arranging prisoner access)
5. After the assessment has been completed, Corrections Victoria will contact researchers in writing, to notify them of the outcome.

These steps should also be followed by Department of Justice staff who wish to undertake research involving prisoners or offenders managed by Corrections Victoria, or who require access to correctional data. 

Common issues

Researchers should be aware of the following issues commonly identified in research applications to Corrections Victoria:

Participants

• As the remand population is relatively transitory in nature, this group is rarely considered an appropriate sample for research.
• Prisoners cannot be paid for participating in research. However, offenders attending Community Correctional Services may be reimbursed for costs that may be incurred in participation (for example, travel costs).
• Researchers must consider all risks to participants and present a plan for managing any adverse reactions appropriately. Researchers should not assume that correctional staff will provide therapeutic services if there is an adverse reaction during the course of the project.

Information and consent forms

• The participant information and consent form must follow the standards in the JHREC guidelines and be written at an appropriate level for the target sample.
• The participant information form must advise prisoners to contact the Independent Prison Visitor in the first instance if they have any queries or concerns about the research.
• Researchers should clearly inform participants about issues of disclosure in the plain language statement. This is particularly relevant for non-adjudicated offences (where a court has not determined their guilt or innocence) and instances where individuals have experienced or may experience harm. The researcher is required to report such harm to the relevant authorities.

Data collection

• Access to personal data (for example, offender files) requires the consent of the individual. If consent is not received only de-identified data can be provided.
• All data collection instruments must be attached to the application.
• Issues of confidentiality are often not adequately considered. Researchers must outline appropriate strategies to maintain participants' privacy.
• Researchers must also provide a letter of indemnity from the entity or university overseeing the research. Applications will not be approved without this letter.

The Research and Evaluation Unit does not have the resources to comment on literature summaries, methodologies or analyses proposed in applications, nor provide editorial advice, complete incomplete applications, or undertake the role of supervisor or co-researcher to comment on aspects of research proposals, other than as it impacts on the location or participants.

Contact

Research and Evaluation Officer
Research and Evaluation Unit

Corrections Victoria
GPO Box 123 
22/121 Exhibition St
Melbourne VIC 3001

Tel: 03 8684 6567
Fax: 03 8684 1579

Additional contact

Manager, Research and Evaluation Unit
Corrections Victoria
Tel: 03 8684 6517