The ACT is making good progress towards its recidivism target with a nearly 20% reduction in reoffending as we enter the second phase of our Reducing Recidivism by 25% by 2025 plan (RR25by25).
Launched in 2020, the RR25by25 plan sets a target of reducing recidivism by 25% by 2025.
Phase 1 of the plan (2020-2023) contributed to a 19.6% decrease from the 2018-19 recidivism rate through the introduction of new programs, including providing housing supports to those at risk of reoffending and offering culturally appropriate support for First Nations people navigating the justice system.
The launch of the second phase of the plan continues the ACT Government's commitment to preventing crime before it happens, with a focus on early intervention and diversion programs that address the underlying causes of offending.
Attorney-General Shane Rattenbury said the new phase takes the ACT further along the path to a more just and sustainable criminal justice system.
"The ACT is a national leader in justice reinvestment," the Attorney-General said.
"We recognise true community safety comes from addressing the root causes of crime, not just reacting to its consequences. The positive outcomes we've seen in phase 1 of the RR25by25 plan, including a significant reduction in the overall recidivism and incarceration rates, demonstrate the effectiveness of this approach."
Successful programs in phase 1 of the Plan include the culturally-safe Yeddung Mura reporting site and Ngurrambai bail support program for First Nations people, and the Justice Housing Program that provides accommodation supports for people released from custody .
Phase 2 includes more than $340,000 for a co-design process to inform the establishment of the Justice Futures Fund – a justice reinvestment fund to prioritise investments in community-led early intervention and diversion programs.
This investment will support data-driven decision-making and community co-design to ensure initiatives are tailored to the specific needs of vulnerable populations, the Attorney-General noted.
"Instead of only engaging with people once they are in the criminal justice system and imprisoned, we want to also support people both before they enter and after they leave custody. A focus on early preventative and diversionary measures targeting those early in their offending trajectory, or people at increased risk of offending, alongside providing targeted rehabilitation and reintegration supports for offenders, is the way forward for the ACT," the Attorney-General said.
