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About the project
People in prison often have complex sets of health, social and justice needs but access to services within prison and upon exit to the community is often stymied. The Wayfinding App Project aims to co-design and deliver a digital app that connects service providers and correctional staff, improving timely access to support for people exiting, or newly released from Port Lincoln Prison. The project is informed by a strengths-based and assisted desistance approach. This is a joint venture between the Centre for Social Impact (CSI), at Flinders University and Centacare Catholic Country SA (CCCSA) and has received funding and support from South Australia’s Department for Correctional Services.
The research team’s recent study, Beyond Bars, showed that correctional and service providers feel ill equipped to meet the needs of people exiting particularly in regional communities. A key solution derived from cross-sector participants in the study was the need for more coordinated communication and collaboration between correctional services and the social and service ecosystems. One proposed action was a wayfinding program that assists professionals navigate multiple sectors and co-coordinate care, to better support reintegration journeys.
Project design
The Wayfinding App project follows a staged, co-design approach.
Stage 1: Recruitment & Organisational Process Mapping (2025)
We engage local organisations and government units providing essential services (housing, health, family support, transport, etc.) to map intake and referral processes. This informs the app’s core functionality and ensures alignment across systems.
Stage 2: Co-Design & Development (2025)
Key stakeholders participate in online design sessions to collaboratively shape the app’s features. A prototype is developed based on these insights.
Stage 3: App Trial (2026)
The web-based Wayfinding App is piloted for six months with correctional staff and service providers. The app is intended to assist case managers and clients exiting prison identify needs, locate services, book appointments, and generate personalised service plans.
Stage 4: Evaluation (2026)
A mixed-methods evaluation assesses implementation, usability, and impact (e.g. extent to which it better enables client needs to be identified and met) through:
- App metadata analysis
- Focus groups with stakeholders
- Administrative data
Findings will inform iterative improvements and explore potential for broader rollout.
This project has received ethics approval from Flinders University under project No.7777.
Benefits of the project
The project aims to design, trial and evaluate a tool for correctional and social and health services with the aim of making cross-sector communication and coordinated care easier for professional staff. Proposed core features of the app include updated navigation and service directory, and the ability to assist with triage and streamlining the referral process.
Collaborators
The following organisations are collaborating in the Wayfinding App Project:
Research Team
This project is being undertaken by a multidisciplinary team with expertise in criminology, trauma, youth justice, child protection and advocacy and with a strong track record in working with stakeholders to advance policy and practice.
Lead Investigator
Jenna Mizzi is a Research Associate in Criminology and the Centre for Social Impact at Flinders University. Jenna has over 15 years of experience as a Project Officer and Researcher within University and not-for-profit sectors. She brings specific expertise in collaborating with diverse stakeholders and qualitative and decolonial methodologies.
Jenna is also a final year PhD student. Jenna’s doctorate research turns a critical gaze towards the criminal justice system and the impacts of imprisonment on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander families and communities. Recent CSI research has explored civil society perspectives on the challenges and opportunities for communities that house prisons to better support (re)integration.
IT Lead
Mark has over 25 years of experience as an IT professional and consultant across industries in Australia and Hong Kong. After completing a Bachelor of Laws in 2016 and being admitted to the SA Supreme Court in 2017, he transitioned into academia at Flinders University, where he pioneered the Law in a Digital Age curriculum, teaching law students to develop legal software.
In 2024, Mark founded the Digital Law Lab, which delivers legal technology solutions for not-for-profit organisations to enhance access to justice and provides students with real-world experience in legal tech. Alongside his teaching and research in legal technology, Mark continues to practice law as a sole practitioner.
Caitlin Hughes is an Associate Professor in criminology and drug policy and Matthew Flinders Fellow at Flinders Criminology and the Centre for Social Impact, Flinders University. As one of the few criminologists and drug policy scholars internationally, and current President of the International Society for the Study of Drug Policy, Caitlin has 18 years’ experience working at the interface of criminal justice, health and social systems to drive evidence-based system change.
Caitlin brings a strong track record in engagement with policy makers, law enforcement and health officials from within and outside Australia to deliver policy and practice change including in Australia, Canada, England, Ireland, Portugal and USA, including the expansion of police drug diversion programs and adoption of international best practice standards for health and justice responses.
Melissa is a Senior Lecturer and Research Section Leader for the Criminology group at Flinders. Melissa's research focuses on the application of psychological theory to improve advance understandings of, and responses to, crime. Her research has contributed to knowledge about the processes underlying reintegration pathways and has influenced national and international strategies to reduce reoffending. Melissa takes a collaborative approach, working with stakeholders in the criminal justice sector to inform more effective policy and practice, enhancing outcomes for people who have committed crime and reducing the burden of crime in the community. Her research spans quantitative and qualitative methodologies, including experimental design, program evaluation, cross-sectional and longitudinal surveys, scale development and validation, and qualitative interviews. She has also trained as a clinical (forensic) psychologist.
Nicole is a South Australian community leader and Regional Manager at Centacare Catholic Country SA, where she oversees programs supporting families and communities across regional and remote areas. With a background in social work and trauma‑responsive practice, she has guided recovery efforts following droughts and bushfires, drawing on both professional expertise and lived experience. Nicole is known for building strong partnerships, including collaborations with Aboriginal‑led organizations, to deliver culturally respectful services under initiatives such as Strong Families, Strong Communities.
Her leadership extends to innovative community projects like the Bush Telegraph Project in Port Lincoln, which strengthens wellbeing among children, young people, and families. A regular presenter at national conferences, Nicole shares insights on collaboration, resilience, and rural social work practice. Her career reflects a deep commitment to social justice and community capacity‑building, ensuring that vulnerable families in regional South Australia receive the support they need to thrive.
Mark Halsey is a Professor of Criminology at Flinders Criminology and the Centre for Social Impact, an Australian Research Council Industry Laureate Fellow and former Chief Editor of the Australian and New Zealand Journal of Criminology. Mark has extensive experience, covering more than 25 years, analysing youth offending, incarceration, rehabilitation and desistance from crime and Aboriginal social exclusion.
From 2004 to 2013, Mark conducted Australia’s longest and most in-depth study of repeat incarceration and desistance from crime among a group of young men aged 15 to 29 years. The book based on that research (Young Offenders: Crime, Prison and Struggles for Desistance) won the 2017 Christine M Alder Book Prize. Recipient of numerous grants, including a four-year Australian Research Council grant titled “Reducing Aboriginal Imprisonment: An Offence-Specific Study”, in 2024, Mark was one of just 8 recipients in Australia to receive a prestigious ARC Industry Fellowship Program to build on pilot work to help fundamentally change the way prisoners are rehabilitated in NSW. Mark is the new Director of an ARC Centre of Excellence for Prisoner Reintegration that involves Ian Goodwin-Smith, Caitlin Hughes, Melissa de Vel-Palumbo and Simone Deegan as well as 41 partners from across and outside of Australia.
Ian Goodwin-Smith is the Matthew Flinders Professor of Social Impact, Dean (Research) for the College of Business, Government and Law, and Director of CSI Flinders. He is a researcher in the fields of social policy and social service with extensive experience in research and evaluation relating to social service improvement, systems reform and social policy. He is a research leader experienced in managing research centres and concentrations in collaboration and partnership with industry and community stakeholders. Ian has a history of working collaboratively with government and non-government organisations, communities and people who have been marginalised, and a long track record of research partnerships, both internationally and in all Australian states and territories, in metropolitan, country and remote settings. He has experience in co-designing and administering large scale research and evaluation projects, and in working across sectors and disciplines with a range of stakeholder groups.
Simone is an ARC Early Career Industry Fellow and Churchill Fellow who has extensive experience in both the criminal justice and youth justice systems. Before joining Flinders University, Simone was the Principal Advocate for all detained children and young people in South Australia with the Office of the Guardian for Children and Young People. She has undertaken consultancies for local and state governments, including the Commission of Inquiry into the Tasmanian Government's Responses to Child Sexual Abuse in Institutional Settings (Ashley Youth Detention Centre). Her research and industry work has impacted upon juvenile detention policies and practices (in areas such as human rights compliance, restrictive disciplinary and intrusive practices and food-related practices) and offered international perspectives on sentencing policies that often ignore juvenile immaturity and impede rehabilitation. Simone has also worked as a criminal defence solicitor with the Legal Services Commission, in private practice, as a supervisor of the UniSA Legal Advice Clinic and as an Associate of the District Court of South Australia. Her key interests include youth offending (including the relationship to broader environmental factors such as the child protection system), homicide, sentencing and the impact of care/correctional settings.
Research Team
This project is being undertaken by a multidisciplinary team with expertise in criminology, trauma, youth justice, child protection and advocacy and with a strong track record in working with stakeholders to advance policy and practice.
Lead Investigator
Jenna Mizzi is a Research Associate in Criminology and the Centre for Social Impact at Flinders University. Jenna has over 15 years of experience as a Project Officer and Researcher within University and not-for-profit sectors. She brings specific expertise in collaborating with diverse stakeholders and qualitative and decolonial methodologies.
Jenna is also a final year PhD student. Jenna’s doctorate research turns a critical gaze towards the criminal justice system and the impacts of imprisonment on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander families and communities. Recent CSI research has explored civil society perspectives on the challenges and opportunities for communities that house prisons to better support (re)integration.
IT Lead
Mark has over 25 years of experience as an IT professional and consultant across industries in Australia and Hong Kong. After completing a Bachelor of Laws in 2016 and being admitted to the SA Supreme Court in 2017, he transitioned into academia at Flinders University, where he pioneered the Law in a Digital Age curriculum, teaching law students to develop legal software.
In 2024, Mark founded the Digital Law Lab, which delivers legal technology solutions for not-for-profit organisations to enhance access to justice and provides students with real-world experience in legal tech. Alongside his teaching and research in legal technology, Mark continues to practice law as a sole practitioner.
Caitlin Hughes is an Associate Professor in criminology and drug policy and Matthew Flinders Fellow at Flinders Criminology and the Centre for Social Impact, Flinders University. As one of the few criminologists and drug policy scholars internationally, and current President of the International Society for the Study of Drug Policy, Caitlin has 18 years’ experience working at the interface of criminal justice, health and social systems to drive evidence-based system change.
Caitlin brings a strong track record in engagement with policy makers, law enforcement and health officials from within and outside Australia to deliver policy and practice change including in Australia, Canada, England, Ireland, Portugal and USA, including the expansion of police drug diversion programs and adoption of international best practice standards for health and justice responses.
Melissa is a Senior Lecturer and Research Section Leader for the Criminology group at Flinders. Melissa's research focuses on the application of psychological theory to improve advance understandings of, and responses to, crime. Her research has contributed to knowledge about the processes underlying reintegration pathways and has influenced national and international strategies to reduce reoffending. Melissa takes a collaborative approach, working with stakeholders in the criminal justice sector to inform more effective policy and practice, enhancing outcomes for people who have committed crime and reducing the burden of crime in the community. Her research spans quantitative and qualitative methodologies, including experimental design, program evaluation, cross-sectional and longitudinal surveys, scale development and validation, and qualitative interviews. She has also trained as a clinical (forensic) psychologist.
Nicole is a South Australian community leader and Regional Manager at Centacare Catholic Country SA, where she oversees programs supporting families and communities across regional and remote areas. With a background in social work and trauma‑responsive practice, she has guided recovery efforts following droughts and bushfires, drawing on both professional expertise and lived experience. Nicole is known for building strong partnerships, including collaborations with Aboriginal‑led organizations, to deliver culturally respectful services under initiatives such as Strong Families, Strong Communities.
Her leadership extends to innovative community projects like the Bush Telegraph Project in Port Lincoln, which strengthens wellbeing among children, young people, and families. A regular presenter at national conferences, Nicole shares insights on collaboration, resilience, and rural social work practice. Her career reflects a deep commitment to social justice and community capacity‑building, ensuring that vulnerable families in regional South Australia receive the support they need to thrive.
Mark Halsey is a Professor of Criminology at Flinders Criminology and the Centre for Social Impact, an Australian Research Council Industry Laureate Fellow and former Chief Editor of the Australian and New Zealand Journal of Criminology. Mark has extensive experience, covering more than 25 years, analysing youth offending, incarceration, rehabilitation and desistance from crime and Aboriginal social exclusion.
From 2004 to 2013, Mark conducted Australia’s longest and most in-depth study of repeat incarceration and desistance from crime among a group of young men aged 15 to 29 years. The book based on that research (Young Offenders: Crime, Prison and Struggles for Desistance) won the 2017 Christine M Alder Book Prize. Recipient of numerous grants, including a four-year Australian Research Council grant titled “Reducing Aboriginal Imprisonment: An Offence-Specific Study”, in 2024, Mark was one of just 8 recipients in Australia to receive a prestigious ARC Industry Fellowship Program to build on pilot work to help fundamentally change the way prisoners are rehabilitated in NSW. Mark is the new Director of an ARC Centre of Excellence for Prisoner Reintegration that involves Ian Goodwin-Smith, Caitlin Hughes, Melissa de Vel-Palumbo and Simone Deegan as well as 41 partners from across and outside of Australia.
Ian Goodwin-Smith is the Matthew Flinders Professor of Social Impact, Dean (Research) for the College of Business, Government and Law, and Director of CSI Flinders. He is a researcher in the fields of social policy and social service with extensive experience in research and evaluation relating to social service improvement, systems reform and social policy. He is a research leader experienced in managing research centres and concentrations in collaboration and partnership with industry and community stakeholders. Ian has a history of working collaboratively with government and non-government organisations, communities and people who have been marginalised, and a long track record of research partnerships, both internationally and in all Australian states and territories, in metropolitan, country and remote settings. He has experience in co-designing and administering large scale research and evaluation projects, and in working across sectors and disciplines with a range of stakeholder groups.
Simone is an ARC Early Career Industry Fellow and Churchill Fellow who has extensive experience in both the criminal justice and youth justice systems. Before joining Flinders University, Simone was the Principal Advocate for all detained children and young people in South Australia with the Office of the Guardian for Children and Young People. She has undertaken consultancies for local and state governments, including the Commission of Inquiry into the Tasmanian Government's Responses to Child Sexual Abuse in Institutional Settings (Ashley Youth Detention Centre). Her research and industry work has impacted upon juvenile detention policies and practices (in areas such as human rights compliance, restrictive disciplinary and intrusive practices and food-related practices) and offered international perspectives on sentencing policies that often ignore juvenile immaturity and impede rehabilitation. Simone has also worked as a criminal defence solicitor with the Legal Services Commission, in private practice, as a supervisor of the UniSA Legal Advice Clinic and as an Associate of the District Court of South Australia. Her key interests include youth offending (including the relationship to broader environmental factors such as the child protection system), homicide, sentencing and the impact of care/correctional settings.
Research Outputs
Publications and outputs from the project will be added as they become available.
Beyond Bars Report: Beyond Bars: Exploring Challenges and Solutions to the Problem of Short Custodial Stays in Regional South Australia | CSI
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