‘Broken’ jail system failing
Ex-inmates soon back behind bars
THE state’s prison system is “broken”, a new report has found, with more than half of inmates returning to jail within five years.
A Deakin University report reveals that most inmates want to turn their lives around after jail and live a crime-free life but a lack of support systems on release means they are failing to achieve this goal.
The study Repurposing prisons and resourcing communities engaged people, exprisoners and those who work in the sector across Australia, to determine the best ways to solve the problem of prisoner reintegration.
Lead researcher Deakin Emeritus Professor Joe Graffam said the study found corrections systems across Australia must be urgently repurposed to ensure prisoners are reformed, while the community must have access to better resources to be able to help ex-prisoners reintegrate.
“The vast majority of those coming out of jail want to avoid returning by successfully reintegrating, but that’s not happening,” Prof Graffam said.
“If you look at our five-year recidivism rate it’s 55 per cent, so that’s more than half going back to jail within five years.”
Prof Graffam, who is also behind a groundbreaking Geelong-based trial connecting reformed former prisoners with inmates, said it was “obvious” the current corrections system was not working.
“To change that (rate) we need to restore the health of the communities these people are coming from, because the fact is 50 per cent of people in prison come from 6 per cent of postcodes, and a quarter come from just 2 per cent,” Prof Graffam said. “That means it’s not difficult to figure out where we should put this targeted support, it’s clear which communities can benefit most from intensive services.
“These are communities where there are higher rates of unemployment, school dropout, domestic violence, alcohol and drug abuse and mental health issues.”
Prof Graffam said this community-based approach was currently thwarted by the structures of the public services involved, compounded by a short-term view of addressing issues of offending.
He said prisons needed to have better links between prisoners and community, a culture that reflected the outside community, and staff skilled in therapeutic care.
Prof Graffam said the community must also be educated to give prisoners a chance to reintegrate, have the ability to accommodate complex support needs and recognise that individuals, governments and communities must work together to curb recidivism.
He said as part of the report’s compilation, a collaborative group and website called the After Prison Network had been set up — with the first stage funded by the Ian Potter Foundation — to co-ordinate efforts to lead positive change across the country.