This month, we highlight 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, etc. – please get in touch with us at community@myiacfp.org.
- International Updates
New Podcast: The Forensic Psychologist Podcast
Introducing a brand-new resource for mental health and legal professionals: The Forensic Psychologist Podcast. Hosted by licensed forensic psychologist Dr. Casey Mangnall, this podcast is designed for psychologists, trainees, and mental health professionals navigating the practical realities at the intersection of psychology and the law. Moving beyond media stereotypes, episodes so far have offered grounded discussions on key topics such as conducting forensic evaluations, managing personal bias, understanding legal evidentiary standards, and navigating complex ethical grey areas like test security and AI integration. By bridging the gap between clinical training and legal practice, the podcast plans to serve as a guide for clinicians seeking to apply psychological expertise within a courtroom framework. Available on Spotify and Apple Podcasts!
Final Reminder: In the Act (ITA) Training Opportunity
The In the Act team (article featured in IACFP’s Mar/April 2026 Bulletin) has partnered with CONCEPT Continuing and Professional Studies at Palo Alto University in California to offer two webinars. The full, two-part (3.5 CE hours per day, 7 CE hours total) train-the-trainer style session will include reviewing program goals, key learning tools, and effective group facilitation skills, and will allow attendees to practice delivering training segments in a safe and supportive environment.
Register here: November 2 – 3, 2026
- Research & Reports
Criminological Highlights, Vol 23, August 2026
The most recent issue of Criminological Highlights, published by the University of Toronto Centre for Criminology and Sociolegal Studies, summarizes research addressing the following questions:
- Can social programs really reduce crime?
- Why do Americans think tough-on-crime programs will reduce crime?
- Do intuitive (or clinical) over-rides of crime-prediction instruments improve predictions?
- How do families react to the pretrial detention of one of their family members?
- Which police officers are most likely to use force when dealing with citizens?
- Can a country with a high homicide rate due to gangs and organized crime reduce that rate quickly?
- How do school teachers react to the incarceration of a student’s parent?
- How does pretrial detention affect an accused person’s decisions in court?
Read the full issue here.
Call for Papers: Advancing Corrections Journal – Effecting Change in Corrections
The Advancing Corrections Journal (Edition #22, Volume 2) is accepting submissions on the theme “Effecting Change in Corrections,” focusing on real-world processes of introducing, sustaining, adapting, or abandoning change across institutional and community contexts. The journal welcomes research articles, policy views, and practice innovations addressing priority areas such as evidence-based change, peer-led culture shifts, practitioner perspectives, and subgroup approaches. Complete manuscripts must be submitted via email to Dr Frank Porporino by December 15, 2026.
Call for Papers: International Journal of Forensic Mental Health – 25th Anniversary
The International Journal of Forensic Mental Health is accepting submissions for its 25th Anniversary Collection, titled “Reflecting on 25 Years, Shaping the Future of Forensic Mental Health.” Edited by Alicia Nijdam-Jones, the collection seeks papers—including review papers, empirical research, and scholarly perspectives—that examine the field’s evolution, remaining challenges, and future priorities across areas such as risk assessment, trauma-informed practice, cultural safety, and emerging technologies. Manuscripts are being accepted on a rolling basis throughout 2026, with priority consideration given to submissions received by December 31, 2026.
- Upcoming Conferences
National Conference on Correctional Health Care
October 24 – 28 | Las Vegas, Nevada, United States
Celebrating “50 Years of Impact”, the National Conference on Correctional Health Care brings together correctional leaders, clinical staff, mental health professionals, and legal experts to tackle critical challenges across jails, prisons, and juvenile facilities. The event focuses on delivering practical, evidence-based strategies in high-priority areas such as mental health care, substance use treatment, chronic disease management, and quality compliance. Designed to foster multidisciplinary collaboration, the conference equips attendees with actionable solutions to pressure-test their systems, elevate the standard of care, and improve patient outcomes nationwide.
International Corrections and Prisons Association (ICPA) Annual Conference
October 25 – 30 | Belfast, Northern Ireland
ICPA’s 2026 Annual Conference will bring together the international corrections community to address worldwide rising custody numbers and complex risk profiles through collaboration with government, research bodies, non-profits, and local communities. The program features sessions on global prison health data, lived experience in justice reform, relational approaches to reintegration, sport-based interventions, and more. Professor Shadd Maruna from the University of Liverpool is featured as IACFP’s Distinguished Scholar and Keynote Speaker, with his talk titled, “Who Owns Reintegration?: Collaboration, Lived Experience and Co-Production of Justice Outcomes.” In preparation for ICPA, Professor Maruna was highlighted in the July/August edition of the IACFP Bulletin. Read the full article here!
6th North American Correctional and Criminal Justice Psychology Conference (N6)
June 3 – 5, 2027 | Victoria, Canada
The 6th North American Correctional and Criminal Justice Psychology Conference (N6) will be hosted by the Canadian Psychological Association. This international gathering will bring together global researchers, practitioners, and policymakers to exchange innovative work at the cutting edge of criminal justice and correctional psychology. Abstract submissions are NOW OPEN and close December 3, 2026!
