How to break the cruel cycle of indigenous imprisonment | Human Rights Law Centre

29.9.13

Opinion | Human Rights Law Centre: Last year, the Queensland government abolished its successful Drug, Murri and Special Circumstances Courts and the Northern Territory government recently did the same to its specialist drug and alcohol court. Both governments ramped up so-called “tough on crime” initiatives.

It seems it’s easier to abandon evidence about what works in favour of lazy, non-solutions with labels like “name and shame”, “boot camp” and “three strikes” that are perceived to be popular with voters.

The stakes are high, and nowhere more so than in indigenous imprisonment.

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people are 15 times more likely to be in jail. An Aboriginal man is more likely to be in jail than enrolled in higher education. While Aboriginal education is improving, Aboriginal imprisonment rates are getting worse, increasing 52 per cent over the past decade; 74 per cent of Aboriginal prisoners have been in jail before and behind each jail sentence lies a irreversible trail of damage to victims, families and communities.

The US has made the mistakes of over-imprisonment, particularly of African-Americans and Hispanics. With bipartisan support, many states are looking at new approaches, like justice reinvestment, to break the cycle.