We’ve pulled together a selection of international updates, research highlights and upcoming professional development opportunities that may be of interest to IACFP Bulletin readers working across prisons, probation and community corrections. If there’s something happening in your region that we should know about – news, research calls, webinars or conferences –please get in touch at community@myiacfp.org. International Updates Netherlands: Prison Health Reform The Netherlands continues to approach prison health as a public health issue, with mental health recognised as the most common need among people in custody. Even with one of the lowest incarceration rates in the WHO … [Read more...] about IACFP International News, Research, and Resources for Jan/Feb 2026
Criminal Justice & Behavior Practitioner Summaries for Jan/Feb 2026
Authors publishing articles in Criminal Justice and Behavior (CJB) now include practitioner summaries to bridge the gap between research and practice in forensic and correctional psychology fields across international jurisdictions. Below, we include some of the most practitioner-relevant summaries which have been approved for publication in CJB, which may have already appeared in OnLine First or in a printed journal or may be scheduled for publication. In this issue of the IACFP Bulletin, included articles address a wide variety of topics, including legal system reform, virtual courtrooms, correctional staff attitudes and influences, cybercrime, faith-based rehabilitation, justice-involved … [Read more...] about Criminal Justice & Behavior Practitioner Summaries for Jan/Feb 2026
Singapore’s HERO Transformational Environment
The Singapore Prison Service (SPS) developed and implemented a group-based violence intervention programme called HERO in April 2019. While there were intervention programmes for violence before this, HERO was developed as an evolution of these programmes in three areas. The programme was implemented within a transformational environment (TE) which will be outlined later in the article. HERO provided renewed focus on several intervention needs such as emotion regulation, social problem solving and schemas. We began to deliver the programme in an open group structure. Core Programme: HERO The word HERO is an acronym that represents the core values of the programme – Honor, … [Read more...] about Singapore’s HERO Transformational Environment
Prison Psych Team – A Four-Year Pilot Project
My name is Janne Hermansen, and I am a psychiatrist in Norway with broad clinical and leadership experience. I have practical and supervisor training in cognitive behavioral therapy and metacognitive therapy, and I have completed university degree in radicalization and violent extremism. I am currently a clinical director at Ringerike District Psychiatric Centre (i.e., Ringerike Distriktspsykiatriske Senter; DPS). I have worked with Ringerike prison in Honefoss for six years, focusing on the assessment and treatment of severely mentally ill patients with a high risk of violence. I am currently leading a new mental health care program at Ringerike Prison, and in this article I will describe … [Read more...] about Prison Psych Team – A Four-Year Pilot Project
Opening the Doors: Building the Psychology Workforce in the Irish Prison Service
Over the past decade, the Irish Prison Service has made a deliberate and sustained effort to improve the recruitment and retention of psychologists working in custodial settings. Like many jurisdictions, we have faced challenges in attracting clinicians into prison work and supporting them to stay. What has made the difference for us has been a clear focus on opening doors, early engagement, visibility, and honest conversations about the work. One of the most impactful changes has been how we engage with psychology training programmes. The Republic of Ireland currently has ten doctoral-level psychology programmes (five clinical, four educational and one counselling); the clinical and … [Read more...] about Opening the Doors: Building the Psychology Workforce in the Irish Prison Service
Distinguished Scholar Spotlight: Dr Chi Meng Chu
IACFP is proud to sponsor Distinguished Scholar, Dr Chi Meng Chu at the International Corrections and Prisons Association’s (ICPA) first International Research in Corrections Conference (IRCC), taking place in Auckland, New Zealand from March 2–5, 2026. His presentation at IRCC will focus on rehabilitation strategies across Asia, with an emphasis on sharing non-Western approaches to addressing criminal justice involvement. Dr Chu sat down with me to discuss his experiences in correctional and forensic psychology, how he arrived where he is today, and the guidance he has for future leaders in the field. Career Path and Professional Growth Dr Chu is currently the Group Director of the … [Read more...] about Distinguished Scholar Spotlight: Dr Chi Meng Chu
Foreword: Beyond Recidivism – The Practice and Purpose of Psychological Work in Corrections
Dear colleagues around the world, This edition of the IACFP Bulletin marks a small but deliberate shift in focus. Alongside international news, conference and research information, we are creating a space for practitioners to write directly about psychological work happening in prisons and community corrections. Anyone who works in prisons or community justice settings knows how hard it is to capture psychological work in neat, “gold standard” research designs. That’s not a criticism of research. It’s just the reality of the places we work in. Prisons are busy, under-resourced, and unpredictable. Psychological work isn’t tidy. It’s relational, often slow, and usually happens in small … [Read more...] about Foreword: Beyond Recidivism – The Practice and Purpose of Psychological Work in Corrections
IACFP International News, Research, and Resources for Nov/Dec 2025
We’ve compiled top highlights from recent research, policy, and practice resources across the world for our latest IACFP International News Summary. Our topics for November and December, 2025 include IACFP, recent publications, and upcoming conferences. International News Practitioner Summaries in Criminal Justice and Behavior This year, Criminal Justice and Behavior began requesting that authors include practitioner summaries with their article submissions to help bridge the gap between research and practice. As one of the pillars of IACFP’s mission, we plan to include these summaries at the end of each future IACFP bulletin, with references and links to each article. We look … [Read more...] about IACFP International News, Research, and Resources for Nov/Dec 2025
Criminal Justice & Behavior Practitioner Summaries for Nov/Dec 2025
Authors publishing articles in Criminal Justice and Behavior (CJB) now include practitioner summaries to bridge the gap between research and practice in forensic and correctional psychology fields across international jurisdictions. Below, we include the practitioner summaries of articles that have been approved for publication in CJB, which may have already appeared in OnLine First or in a printed journal or be scheduled for publication. In this issue of the IACFP Bulletin, included articles address topics related to justice-involved youth, race and ethnicity, intimate-partner violence, and perceptions of police. Ahmed, W., Liu, C., Suleman, R. M. F., Mahmood, R., & Mahmood, S. … [Read more...] about Criminal Justice & Behavior Practitioner Summaries for Nov/Dec 2025
The International Holiday Season: Wellbeing and Celebrations
The months around December are considered the “Holiday Season” in many countries across the world. Although often perceived as a happy or celebratory time, the holidays can be particularly difficult for many people, especially those who are incarcerated. The holidays can spark feelings of loneliness, anxiety, or regret when people are separated from their family. On the other hand, reminders of family and past experiences can incite stress for those who have experienced adverse or traumatic life events. Family visits may be limited during this time (either due to reduced staffing or unavailability of family members). People in recovery from substance or alcohol abuse are at increased risk of … [Read more...] about The International Holiday Season: Wellbeing and Celebrations
Summary: Staff As a Conduit for Contraband – Developing and Testing Key Assumptions of Professional Boundary Violations in Prison
Earlier this year, Deviant Behavior (Volume 46, Issue 4, 2025) published an article by Bryce E. Peterson and KiDeuk Kim in which these authors evaluate potential motivations behind staff boundary violations in United States correctional facilities, including inappropriate relationships, financial gain, and staff isolation. This research emphasizes systematic risk factors associated with increased boundary violations, a perspective that has is essential in considering policy reform in correctional environments. Background Those who work in corrections are responsible for the health and safety of incarcerated individuals. Correctional staff who violate professional boundaries weaken this … [Read more...] about Summary: Staff As a Conduit for Contraband – Developing and Testing Key Assumptions of Professional Boundary Violations in Prison
Interview: Michelle Berry on Prevention, Recognition, and Intervention of Staff Boundary Violations in Correctional Psychology
Michelle Berry is a clinical psychologist working in the Department of Corrections (DOC) in New Zealand, with qualifications in law and psychology. She has approximately 17 years of experience working in corrections, including as a clinician, supervisor, and manager of correctional psychologists. Currently, she is the Manager of Psychology Practice in New Zealand’s DOC National Office. She and her team help to develop and support safe, ethical, and effective psychology practice. A small aspect of this work can involve responding to complaints and concerns related to psychology staff and their practice. In relation to suspected boundary violations, Michelle emphasizes that preventative … [Read more...] about Interview: Michelle Berry on Prevention, Recognition, and Intervention of Staff Boundary Violations in Correctional Psychology
