Following their release from prison, many prisoners reoffend and are returned to custody. The Australian Attorney-General's Department commissioned the Australian Institute of Criminology to assess the current state of interventions for prisoners returning to the community, and this report details the findings of that assessment. The first part of the report comprises a literature review which summarises recent theory and research related to the delivery of programs and supports to prisoners. It also broadly characterises Australian prisoners, to establish whether they face the same post-release challenges that research has identified as confronting prisoners in overseas jurisdictions. The second part of the report provides an overview of post-release and other services designed to assist Australian prisoners in community reintegration. The survey informing this report was conducted between March and September 2003, and involved state-based juvenile and adult correctional authorities, as well as non-government organisations. The report highlights key issues in the management of post release services which may assist in the development of policies and practices to reduce the incidence of recidivism.
A report prepared by the Australian Institute of Criminology for the Community Safety and Justice Branch of the Australian Government Attorney-General's Department.