Empathy and Incarceration with Helen Black
- Leanne Butterworth
- Jun 23, 2020
- 3 min read
Updated: Aug 2, 2024
The Professional Empathy Podcast
Presented by Leanne Butterworth Empathy First
Episode 15
The Empathy Podcast Episode 15
Show Notes/Timestamps
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On this episode of The Empathy Podcast, we speak to Helen Black on her experiences working in prisons and helping prisoners gain skills they otherwise may not have had the chance to explore. She talks about supporting adult mental health, taking risks and working with fearless employers and fellow social enterprises that are willing to display compassion and empathy and give prisoners a chance to come out of their sentence and contribute to society. We hope you enjoy this very powerful and moving episode of The Empathy Podcast.
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Snippet 1 - Helen speaks of a former prisoner
Snippet 2 - First design studio in a prison
Time Stamps
00:00 - 2:20 - Introduction to the show
02:24 - 6:00 - What results has Helen gained from working in prisons?
6:30 - 11:34 - Starting Australia's first design studio inside a prison
13:40 - 14:46 - Why do we only care about the well-being of people before they turn 18?
17:30 - 20:00 - Have we all done something to break the law?
22:00 - 24:00 - How do you bridge the gap between inside prison and outside prison?
24:30 - 26:30 - Fearless employers
27:00 - 31:18 - Shifting the public perception and gaining empathy for prisoners
32:00 - 33:36 - Helen gets emotional about former prisoner wanting to take her own life
35:30 - 38:00 - Amazing ideas that the prisoners have come up with
38:30 - 41:00 - Getting a job after prison and contributing society
41:00 - How can we engage social enterprises and support businesses that help prisoners and Helen’s program?
Full Episode (audio only).
Notable Quotes
Helen Black: "We work with people with an experience of incarceration to help restart their lives... to upskill, up-train, provide real-world work experience, and help people develop the soft skills and mindset around reintegration."
Helen Black: "Currently, across Australia, 46 percent of the people that are incarcerated on release will go back inside within two years... our area is about 8.3 percent, so we are having an impact on what we do."
Helen Black: "Even if that [reoffending rate] goes up to 15 percent, we're still saving the government and the community a significant amount of money."
Helen Black: "Imagine you are followed by the worst thing that you have done your whole life."
Helen Black: "We would love to start a conversation more around people deserving a second chance... I think it also comes back to but what if you don't have that background? What if you've got your middle-class white suburban life, you make a mistake, you end up inside, you would expect a level of humanity and compassion that you're potentially not willing to afford other people."
Key Takeaways from the Empathy and Incarceration with Helen Black.
Support for Reintegration:
Helen focuses on helping individuals with a history of incarceration reintegrate into society. They provide upskilling, training, real-world work experience, and help develop soft skills and a reintegration mindset.
Impact on Reoffending Rates:
Nationwide, 46% of released prisoners reoffend within two years. In contrast, the reoffending rate in the area supported by Helen’s organisation is about 8.3%, showcasing the significant impact of their efforts.
Cost Savings:
By reducing reoffending rates, Work Restart saves the government and community significant amounts of money, even if their reoffending rate were to increase slightly.
Reentry into Society:
Helen emphasises that 98% of incarcerated individuals will eventually be released, many of whom serve shorter sentences. Therefore, supporting their reintegration is crucial for societal well-being.
Challenge of Stereotypes:
Helen highlights the human tendency to categorise people based on past actions, which can lead to lifelong stigmatisation. She advocates for a more nuanced understanding of individuals and their potential for change.
Need for Second Chances:
Helen stresses the importance of offering second chances, emphasising that everyone deserves compassion and humanity, regardless of their background or the mistakes they have made. This extends to recognising the humanity in those who have been incarcerated and offering them the same opportunities for redemption that others might expect for themselves.
About Helen Black
Helen believes in the power of second chances and fearless empathy. She has a proven track record bringing innovative ideas to prisons to reduce re-offending rates, founding Reboot, Australia's first digital studio in a prison and Pivot Prison Entrepreneurial Program.
Links
Hi! I'm Leanne Butterworth, Empathy Speaker and Educator, University Lecturer and Mental Health Advocate.
Empathy First is a Brisbane-based social enterprise offering Empathetic communication workshops, online courses and individual Empathy coaching to help you build connection and strengthen your relationships for personal and professional success.
Contact me today and let's talk about how you can put Empathy First.
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