Government’s costly failure: recidivism nation’s highest

The proportion of the adult population imprisoned in NSW has risen over the last decade when compared to the national average. In 1997-98 NSW imprisoned on average 2.1% more people than any other State. Ten years later, NSW is imprisoning 10.4% more people than other states.

The recidivism rate in NSW, at 43%, was considerably higher than the national average of 38.2%.

“The Auditor General’s Report highlights the failure of the ‘tough on crime’ policies of both the Government and the Opposition,” said Sylvia Hale, Greens spokesperson for Corrective Services.

“All the Government’s policies have achieved is to lock up more people, for longer periods of time.

“But locking up more people for longer hasn’t resulted in fewer people re-offending, and the costs to the community are simply enormous.

“It costs $210.50 a day or $76,820 a year to keep someone in prison.

“Many of those held in the prisons have not even been found guilty of an offence. They’re there because the Government’s harsh bail laws mean they can’t obtain bail. 

“It is short-sighted to say the least to attempt to save money by reducing welfare and education programs.

“Almost every prisoner in a gaol will be released into the community at some stage. It’s in everyone’s interests to ensure they are given the maximum possible assistance while in gaol to improve their educational levels, job skills, and modify their anti-social behaviour.

“It’s far cheaper to provide decent programs in gaols than to have people return to gaol because they lack the skills or opportunities to survive in the outside world.

 “The Government must focus on reducing the re-offending rate to at least the national average of 38.2%.

“The rise in assaults by prisoners on prison officers from 0.71 in 2007 to 0.92 per hundred offenders is one indicator NSW gaols are becoming less safe.

“Contributing to the tensions in a gaols is the decline in time out of cells identified by the Auditor-General.

“Prisoners in NSW have among the lowest amount of time out of their cells in Australia, with only 11.9 hours per day in 2008, down from 12.6 hours in 2007. Across Australia prisoners spend on average 13.6 hours out of cells.

“I have had many calls from Prison officers around NSW who are concerned the new, ‘Way Forward” policy now mandates increased lock downs of prisoners. Prison officers are worried that this will lead to greater conflict between prisoners and prison officers.

Further information: Col Hesse 9230 3030 or 0401 719 124