South Australia continues to have the lowest rate of recidivist offending in the country, maintaining and strengthening its position as a national leader according to a new report.
The 2023-24 Report on Government Services (ROGS) shows the state's recidivism rate fell to 35.8 per cent, a more than 1 per cent decline on last year's rate and well below the national average of 52.5 per cent. The rate refers to prisoners who return to corrective services with a new sanction – either a prison sentence or community corrections order – within two years of release.
This downwards trend puts the state on track to meet and exceed the Malinauskas Government's target of reducing reoffending by 20 per cent by 2026 (20by2026).
The report also highlights South Australia's Correctional Services again leading the nation for prisoner participation in education and training, showing around half of DCS prisoners (49.7 per cent) engaging in education and training, well above the national rate of 25.7 per cent.
Increasing employment is another focus, with more than eight-of-ten prisoners (84.3 per cent) participating in job-ready activities – up nine per cent on 2022-23 figures in SA and above this year's national rate of 79.1 per cent.
The Malinauskas Government has committed an additional $6.3 million to expand the Work Ready, Release Ready program to help support more prisoners return to employment upon release – and reduce their risk of reoffending.
It follows a record $227 million investment to increase capacity in our prison system, delivering 312 high security beds at Yatala Labour Prison and an extra 40 beds at Adelaide Women's Prison in a secure and more rehabilitative environment.
As put by Emily Bourke
South Australia is the country's top performer when it comes to reoffending rates, which helps reduce pressure on our prisons and staff and improves community safety.
We lead the nation in reducing recidivist offending and the Government is committed to keep driving this rate down.
Expanding on the success of skills and employment programs will lead to better outcomes post-release.
