Designing carceral environments for Indigenous prisoners: a comparison of approaches in Australia, Canada, New Zealand, the US and Greenland

Abstract

This paper examines the manner in which various countries have sought to accommodate the differing needs of Indigenous prisoners. It outlines the Native American religious practices and ceremonies and the partnerships forged between US correctional agencies and American Indian agencies to allow prisoners to serve time on reservations. These experiences are contrasted to the Canadian experience of the establishment of healing lodges and the integration of Aboriginal religious ceremonies into mainstream prisons. Australian experiences have been vastly different and this presentation outlines the various approaches including the recent construction of a prison to meet the needs of Aboriginal prisoners. In response to the large numbers of Māori imprisoned, New Zealand developed Māori Focus Units which present unique responses to incarcerating Indigenous prisoners. Finally, the paper outlines the establishment of the first prison in Greenland to respond to needs of the Kalaallit peoples.