6 September 2024

Early intervention and diversion to continue reining in reoffending, says Rattenbury

| Ian Bushnell
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Attorney-General Shane Rattenbury launches the next phase of the ACT Government’s Justice Reinvestment plan. Photo: Ian Bushnell.

The ACT will continue investing in keeping people out of prison where possible, building on a 20 per cent fall in repeat offending since 2018.

The second phase of the government’s Justice Reinvestment plan to reduce recidivism by 25 per cent by 2025 will focus on early intervention and diversion from the justice system, including more than $340,000 for a co-design process for the establishment of a Justice Futures Fund.

This is to ensure initiatives are tailored to the specific needs of people whose circumstances make it more likely that they will reoffend.

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The government says Phase 1 of the plan (2020-2023) contributed to a 19.6 per cent decrease from the 2018-19 recidivism rate through new programs, including housing support for those at risk of reoffending and offering culturally appropriate support for First Nations people, who are overrepresented in the ACT’s prison population, navigating the justice system.

Attorney-General Shane Rattenbury said the goal of the co-design process was to ensure that existing and future programs met real needs and avoided unnecessary duplication of services.

It would also help the government establish a new resource to support justice reinvestment and identify new ideas and programs to invest in.

Mr Rattenbury said the average cost of keeping somebody in jail for 12 months was $198,000.

He said Justice Reinvestment had the twin goals of reducing the cost of the justice system and making the community safer by cutting reoffending.

“We can alleviate the social and financial burden associated with crime, which benefits both the individuals themselves and, of course, the broader community,” Mr Rattenbury said.

Initiatives that had made an impact on the reoffending rate included the Drug and Alcohol Court, the culturally safe Yeddung Mura reporting site and the Ngurrambai bail support program for First Nations people, and the Justice Housing Program that provides accommodation for people released from custody.

Mr Rattenbury said the plan was to help people at both ends of the justice system through early intervention and supporting people exiting prison so they didn’t return.

“We’ve seen the benefits where kids are going to school more often as well, even better health attention, but it’s also intervening in that criminal behaviour through it,” he said.

“At the other end of the programs, there’s justice housing where people who are getting parole and coming out are getting housing support.”

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Mr Rattenbury said some people needed to be jailed for justice reasons and the protection of the community, but it was untenable to keep expanding the prison.

He said a large segment of people in custody at any one time were cycling through for assaults and property and drug-related offences.

“The choices are, yes, we can have more police, we just keep picking them up and arresting them and put them through court, and they’ll get out a couple of years later, but everyone who goes to jail gets out at some point,” he said.

“The question is, what’s going to happen when they come out of jail?

“That’s the bit I’m focused on because I want to make sure when they come out, they go on a different path, and they don’t go and knock over somebody’s house again.”

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I think the Greens MLAs should provide their spare room at their place for housing to assist those just released from prison. I am sure they could provide some paid employment at their electoral offices. ……..didn’t think so.

When prisoners are released insurance companies won’t touch them whether that’s car, personal or business, banks can close accounts and refuse service. Most likely their credit will be ruined and real estates ask about criminal conviction and time served. Few banks will actually allow them to have bank accounts. Think about how difficult it is for the men and women who have served their time and actually want to rehabilitate to participate in society. They’re the ones we should be assisting. Not the ones who use the revolving door.

I’m guessing the ACT’s decriminalisation of serious drugs has reduced the chances of reoffenders going back to jail. (Noting I support the law changes, but just pointing out a potential cause of any reduction in reoffending statistics).

I’m.so hoping Rattenbury gets ousted in a few months.

Nah just raise the age of criminal responsibility even higher so you get even more kids learning there are no consequences for serious crimes. Gives them a great path to adulthood.

Yeah right

important not to forget that keeping people out of prison isn’t necessarily the most important thing, for if that were the case, then you could just decriminalise everything…..oh, wait

More blah blah blah from Greens, meanwhile Operation TORIC has made its 500th arrest.
“Of those charged, 200 were on bail at the time of their arrest, while 118 were subject to conditions such as good behaviour orders, intensive corrections orders, or parole.”
https://the-riotact.com/watch-what-you-gonna-do-when-they-come-for-you-act-policing-releases-video-of-hiding-spot-fails/801198

Stop it. My ribs hurt from laughing

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