Rehabilitation : identifying the needs of LGBT offenders

Abstract

With increasing talk about LGBT issues, it seems important to discuss the needs of this group in hopes that they are not overlooked by mainstream society. This research discerns the needs of LGBT people who have had contact with The Criminal Justice System as they are deemed a minority not only as LGBT within society but even more so within the Maltese prison context. In-depth qualitative interviews were carried out with nine professionals working within The Department of Probation and Parole. These professionals, mainly parole officers, identified what seem to be the needs pertaining to this particular group. Through thematic analysis of these interviews, four major themes were identified: ‘Individual Needs’, ‘Domestic Needs’, ‘Needs in Wider Community’ and ‘Needs within the Prison community’. The needs identified within this research were closely linked to the needs pertaining to this group within the community. It is therefore important to look at the community as well as prison and rehabilitative services in order to address these needs.