These are the findings of the latest report for the Institute of Public Affairs Criminal Justice Project, and they underline the need for criminal justice reform around Australia. When you consider Australia has a high level of reoffending, with more than half of released prisoners returning to corrections within two years, it is clear that our increased criminal justice spending is not yielding the results we might rightly expect.
Addressing this underperformance should begin with punishment reform for non-violent, low-risk offenders. Violent criminals must be imprisoned to keep the community safe. But for other offenders, measures like home detention and community service — properly supervised of course — can achieve both retribution and better rehabilitation outcomes.
Link to report below:-
Australia’s Criminal Justice Costs – An International Comparison