The University of Queensland is developing an automated system for psychologically testing inmates as a part of a major deal with the New South Wales Department of Corrective Services.

The system, being developed by UQ's Key Centre for Human Factors and Applied Cognitive Psychology, is likely to be used in all NSW prisons and potentially in other states.

Then NSW Commissioner for Corrective Services Dr Leo Keliher signed the $20,000 agreement with UQ's Director of the Office of Research and Postgraduate Studies Jan Massey last year.

Key Centre Director Professor Michael Humphreys said postdoctoral fellow Dr Peter Kwantes would develop the state-of-the-art system.

Professor Humphreys said the likely advantages of the new system, to be used for a range of assessments including suitability for parole, was that it was fast, accurate and removed the transcription and deliberate errors common to traditional person-to-person testing methods.

"It involves an inmate sitting down at a computer and using a mouse to tick answers on a screen," he said. "Dr Kwantes developed an early version of the system for Canadian Corrections."

Ms Massey said the agreement was believed to be the first of its kind in Australia.

Professor Michael Humphreys www.uq.edu.au/uqresearchers/researcher/humphreysms.html

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