Yuwaya Ngarra-li attends 17th Reintegration Puzzle Conference

Members of the Yuwaya Ngarra-li team from both Walgett and Sydney were pleased to attend the 17th Reintegration Puzzle Conference, hosted by the Justice Reform Initiative in the Sydney CBD.

The Reintegration Puzzle Conference brings together individuals and organisations working with people impacted by incarceration, with a particular focus on returning to the community after prison. 

This year, over half of the speakers had been impacted by the justice system. It was a privilege to hear from them, and to be reminded of the importance of lived expertise and community-led work in this area. There was a focus on change across all areas, and a number of presentation focused on the disproportionate impact of carceral systems on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities.

Another highlight of the conference was the keynote presentation by Yuwaya Ngarra-li UNSW Director Ruth McCausland. Ruth discussed the framework she developed with Emerita Professor Eileen Baldry on the social determinants of justice.

This work demonstrates the systemic and social factors that impact how individuals experience the criminal legal system, and emphasises the need for a whole-of-system response to these issues.