The Guddi Way Screen in Judicial Courts

Thanks to the generous support of the Paul Ramsay Foundation, Synapse has walked alongside community and Elders nationally to embed culturally safe cognitive screening into a number of courts across Australia.

From a single Queensland Murri Court in 2017, The Guddi Way Screen is now progressing to implementation in Murri Courts across Queensland – with many participants now actively being screened for a brain injury before a Murri Court.

The Guddi Way Screen has improved outcomes for Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander people engaged in the court system.

Synapse continues to see strong demand and widespread support for the use of the Guddi Way Screening tool in Courts. This reinforces that culturally safe screening has a critical role to play in breaking cycles of disadvantage, reoffending and reducing incarceration. 

In Sydney, an initial pilot is underway at Mt Druitt Magistrates Court. Community-based agencies are working across NSW to extend this reach to diversionary courts from Western Sydney to the Central Coast. 

Pilot program planning is progressing in Perth. This is being done in partnership with the WA Children’s Court with engagement from WA’s Disability Justice Service. 

Brain injury currently receives relatively little recognition in the criminal justice system. It’s also estimated that the rates of brain injury are three times higher for Indigenous Australians who are incarcerated than non-indigenous Australians*.  

These statistics make brain injury a key concern in our prisons, as we know living with a brain injury can have unseen impacts on how people think and their cognitive behaviours.  

*AIHW (2022), Australian Institute of Health and Welfare. Health of people in prison. Canberra: AIHW, Australian Government 

Identifying cognitive difficulties due to possible brain injuries prior to sentencing can have a critical impact on acknowledging the support a person needs to minimise reoffending and to improve compliance with court conditions – ultimately minimising custodial outcomes

Screening for a brain injury can also have a positive impact on sentencing outcomes as brain injuries intersect with many mental health issues and trauma – which all have an undeniable impact on an individual.

People with a brain injury often have difficulties accessing employment, housing, healthcare, as well as creating positive connections within their community. All of these are important protective factors against reoffending. Understanding and recognising the impact of a brain injury on a person can help to break the cycle of their offending.

The word ‘Guddi’ means ‘Come Home, Come Heal, Come Rest’ in the traditional language of the Kuku Yalanji peoples of Far North Queensland.