The further someone progresses through the justice system, the harder it is for them to change their offending behaviours and avoid future contact with either prison or community corrections. Of particular concern is the growing number of Aboriginal people spending periods of time in prison on remand but who ultimately do not receive custodial sentences. A wide range of negative outcomes have been shown to impact Aboriginal people who are remanded in custody, including separation from family and community, disruption to education and employment, association with sentenced offenders, and not being able to access therapeutic programs. For young people, particularly those on care and protection orders, there are additional concerns around being inappropriately held in police cells or facilities that are not designed to meet their needs.
Given the high daily costs of incarceration, remand is both expensive and ineffective, increasing rather than decreasing the likelihood of future involvement with the criminal justice system. To date, diversion has largely focussed on children and young people at early stages of contact, but opportunities are also required for adults and people more deeply involved in the criminal justice system. For those who have fines, warrants or an order, more needs to be done to help people to successfully complete these.
Fewer Aboriginal people in the criminal justice system |
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Goal |
2.3 |
Fewer Aboriginal people progress through the criminal justice system |
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Outcomes |
2.3.1 |
More people are diverted from further contact with the criminal justice system |
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2.3.2 |
Fewer people are remanded into custody |
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2.3.3 |
More people successfully address fines, warrants and/or meet conditions of orders and sentences |
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Provide flexible options for Aboriginal people with outstanding fines and warrants to address them in community-based settings. |
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Support alleged offenders to obtain and comply with bail conditions to avoid unnecessary periods on remand. |
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Establish culturally-appropriate bail support and diversion programs so police and magistrates have viable alternatives to incarceration prior to sentencing. |
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Support adults and youth with supervised community based orders and Family Violence Intervention Orders through flexible and intensive case management, to reduce breaches. |
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Support holistic, family-centred models and programs specifically designed for Aboriginal women in the justice system, with a focus on diversion and remand. |
- Aboriginal workers within the Courts Integrated Services Program (CISP) assist accused persons to access support and services to reduce re-offending.
- Koori Women’s Diversion Program: intensive case management and support for Aboriginal women referred from the criminal justice system.
- Koori Intensive Support Program: assists young people to comply with bail conditions or conditions placed on deferred sentences.
- Aboriginal Community Fine Initiative (ACFI) and Sheriff's Aboriginal Liaison Officer (SALO) Program: assists Aboriginal people to address their infringement debt.
- Local Justice Worker Program: supports for Aboriginal offenders to meet the conditions of their orders and connect with relevant community programs and services.
- Wulgunggo Ngalu Learning Place: a residential program to assist men to fulfil their Community Correction Orders.
- Baroona Youth Healing Place: a residential program for young Aboriginal men involved with or at risk of contact with the criminal justice system.