Consultant II (digital rehabilitation in prisons)

Security

Overview

Assist UNICRI in producing a high-quality report on technology in prisons.

You have:

• A Master's degree in criminology, sociology, psychology, social and political sciences, or a related field is required.
• A PhD in the same fields is desirable.
• At least seven (7) years of working experience in the study and research of criminal justice issues is required.
• Experience in conducting research on the development of ethical frameworks, on offenders’ education, and the use of digital technologies in prison is highly desirable.
• Specialized knowledge on digital technologies and/or digital inclusion/literacy is desirable.
• Previous experience with the United Nations or similar international organizations is desirable.
• Fluency in English is required for the position advertised.

Result of Service Deliverable 1: Inception report (3 pages)

The inception report will include evaluation methodology, a detailed work plan, data collection instruments (including questionnaires for the interviews) and plans for field visits.

Deliverable 2: 1st draft report

Draft that highlights and presents material, information and primary and secondary data collected through in-depth research activity and interviews. The analysis should also include practical recommendations for the successful implementation of technology in prisons.

Deliverable 3: 2nd draft report

Once the inputs from UNICRI and the validation workshop are incorporated into the first draft, the consultant will share the second draft with the UNICRI project team.

Deliverable 4: Final report

Submission of the final draft of the analysis (research areas i and iv as above), incorporating comments and feedback from UNICRI project team as well as the validation workshop.

Work Location Home-based with possible travels to relevant countries

Expected duration April – November 2023

Duties and Responsibilities 1. Background of the assignment:

United Nations Interregional Crime and Justice Research Institute (UNICRI) is a United Nations entity established in 1968 to support countries worldwide in preventing crime and facilitating criminal justice. UNICRI is mandated to assist intergovernmental, governmental and non-governmental organizations in formulating and implementing improved policies in the field of crime prevention and criminal justice. UNICRI's goals are:

to advance understanding of crime-related problems;

to foster just and efficient criminal justice systems;

to support the respect of international instruments and other standards;

to facilitate international law enforcement cooperation and judicial assistance.

As technology continues to play an increasingly influential role in modern society, there is growing interest in its potential applications within the criminal justice system. In the Background Paper on the Workshop on "Reducing reoffending: identifying risks and developing solutions" at the 14th UN Crime Congress, it was noted that technological advancements offer new opportunities for prisons to deliver education programmes to prisoners, while the widespread use of electronic devices provides a cost-effective solution for prison-based services (A/CONF.234/9).

The principles established in the Nelson Mandela Rules emphasize the importance of providing prisoners with access to education, vocational training, work, and other forms of support to facilitate their successful reintegration into society. The recent global pandemic has only served to highlight the challenges faced by prison administrators in providing these services, further fuelling interest in the use of technology to address these challenges.

In response to these developments, UNICRI is conducting research into the potential impact of technology on prisoner interventions to improve effectiveness and support rehabilitation. UNICRI's research focuses on the use of technology within the prison environment and its impact on prisoners' rehabilitation, with the goal of providing benefits for both prisoners and staff. For example, virtual reality (VR) technology can enhance existing rehabilitation programmes by providing prisoners with immersive and realistic environments that can ease the transition from prison to society. This technology can also be adapted for use with prisoners who have disabilities or vulnerabilities and can be particularly useful in overcrowded facilities with limited resources.

2. Purpose of the assignment:

The purpose of this assignment is to assist UNICRI in producing a high-quality report that analyses and assesses the potential benefits and risks of introducing new technologies in prisons to facilitate prisoner rehabilitation. The overall research aims to explore and identify several key areas, including:

i) The ethical principles that should guide the use of digital rehabilitation in prisons; ii) The existing and potential tools and systems that can be used to support rehabilitation, reduce reoffending, and promote desistance; iii) Tools that can be used in treatment programmes to provide mental health and social services to prisoners in order to enhance their mental well-being and social skills; and iv) The best ways to ensure that the implementation of these tools and systems is ethical, human rights compliant, and centered around the needs and well-being of the prisoners.

Overall, this report will provide valuable insights and recommendations for policymakers, practitioners, and stakeholders on leveraging technology to support prisoner rehabilitation effectively and ethically. The consultant will act as a key member of this initiative's research team, driving the project forward and contributing to consolidating the findings and recommendations in a report. This report will be presented at an expert-level meeting scheduled towards the end of 2023. The insights and recommendations in this report will be instrumental in guiding the second phase of the project, which involves a pilot programme to introduce technology in prisons in selected country(ies).

As a research team member, the consultant will be responsible for conducting a thorough analysis of the material, data, and information collected through desk and field research focusing on two of the four key areas (i and iv), as further described in paragraph 3 below. This will include conducting interviews with end-users, staff working in prisons, law enforcement agencies, and other relevant stakeholders to gain a comprehensive understanding of the potential impact of introducing new technologies in prison and identify relevant guidelines for the ethical implementation of these tools.

Ultimately, the consultant will collaborate with the research team to produce a comprehensive and evidence-based report that provides practical recommendations for the successful implementation of technology in prisons. The report will serve as a critical guide for policymakers and practitioners looking to improve prisoner rehabilitation and reduce reoffending rates through technology.

3. Specific tasks to be performed by the consultant:

Under the supervision of the Associate Expert and in close collaboration with the International Subject Expert and the project team, the incumbent will perform the following tasks:

PHASE 1: Prepare a brief inception report - Meet with the project team to discuss scope, methodology and timeline; - Prepare inception report outlining the key steps/methodology with specific deliverables and timeline; contextual analysis (3 pages)

PHASE 2: Gap mapping, research, and analysis - Carry out in-depth (desk and field) research and analysis on the following areas: - Ethical principles for digital rehabilitation in prisons, including the use of emerging technologies; - The essential processes to be implemented for introducing technologies in prisons in a responsible, ethical, and human rights-compliant manner; - Conduct interviews (including field research) with relevant stakeholders in coordination with UNICRI's project team; - Consult with select specialists in UN agencies, such as UNODC, OHCHR, and other autonomous research and training institutes to gain inputs on lessons learned, good practices and challenges; - Closely coordinate with the research team to share findings, ensure convergence and promote synergies between the four key areas of the final report (i, ii, iii, and iv, as described above); - Provide initial inputs to UNICRI's project team on a proposal for a year 2 project.

PHASE 3: Prepare and present the draft report - Based on the consultation with various stakeholders, elaborate an analysis of the findings of the two relevant areas of the research (i and iv, as above); - Coordinate with the research team and contribute to the preparation of a comprehensive and evidence-based report that provides practical recommendations for the successful implementation of technology in prisons; - Validate the draft analysis with key stakeholders and relevant civil society stakeholders to ensure that the recommendations and proposed steps are feasible and relevant through a validation workshop in Turin; - Improve the analysis based on feedback from the validation workshop.

PHASE 4: Finalize the report and validate the second phase - Present relevant sections of the final report document to the UNICRI team and address any comments they may have in the document; - Perform other job-related duties upon request.

Qualifications/special skills A Master’s degree in criminology, sociology, psychology, social and political sciences, or a related field is required. A PhD in the same fields is desirable. At least seven (7) years of working experience in the study and research of criminal justice issues is required. Experience in conducting research on the development of ethical frameworks, on offenders’ education, and the use of digital technologies in prison is highly desirable. Specialized knowledge on digital technologies and/or digital inclusion/literacy is desirable. Previous experience with the United Nations or similar international organizations is desirable.

Languages For the position advertised, fluency in English is required.

No Fee THE UNITED NATIONS DOES NOT CHARGE A FEE AT ANY STAGE OF THE RECRUITMENT PROCESS (APPLICATION, INTERVIEW MEETING, PROCESSING, OR TRAINING). THE UNITED NATIONS DOES NOT CONCERN ITSELF WITH INFORMATION ON APPLICANTS’ BANK ACCOUNTS.

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Added 3 years ago - Updated 1 year ago - Source: careers.un.org