Forensic Intervention Services is a specialist business unit within Corrections Victoria providing people who have committed sexual and/or violent offences with evidence-based forensic therapeutic intervention to support their rehabilitation and reintegration. 

Our goals are to enable meaningful behaviour change and contribute to a safer Victoria as a leader in forensic therapeutic intervention. 

After launching in 2019, Forensic Intervention Services is now achieving industry recognition for the quality of our work. The services are grounded in the Risk Need Responsivity model with an emphasis on strengths-based group interventions. This enables us to meet demand by tailoring interactions to cultural backgrounds, personalities and/or learning styles. 

With the support of multi-disciplinary teams, our clinicians conduct screenings and assessments to determine individual risk of reoffending, then develop case formulations and treatment pathways that target criminogenic needs.  

We assist our service users to investigate and interrogate the developmental experiences in their lives that led to the adoption of maladaptive thoughts and behaviours. By helping them recognise and understand the harmful choices they have made as adults, our work can help lead them to make the changes that create the opportunity for them to live a different, and safer, life. 

In response to demand, we are embedding new expertise in our practices. Areas such as Family Violence Perpetrator Intervention, Countering Violent Extremism and Restorative Justice give clinicians the opportunity to advise on system wide policy, as well as expanding our intervention expertise in these areas, including providing training to others.

Because of the complex nature of our cases, the psychological wellbeing of our clinicians is a key priority. New forensic practitioners engage in mandatory debriefing for vicarious trauma responses during their first twelve months, and we provide comprehensive clinical supervision commensurate with each clinician’s role and level of experience. Our well-connected teams also provide general support on a daily basis. 

Clinical staff enjoy a variety of benefits including a purpose-built induction training program, support from a Clinical Director, scholarships, study leave, annual conference and leadership forums and opportunities to undertake advanced training or research. 

Forensic Intervention Services contributes to a justice and community safety system that works together to build a safer, fairer and stronger Victoria.