The Productivity Commission’s Report on Government Services 2008 shows that New South Wales pays more for Corrective Services than any other state, but we’re still seeing more repeat offenders, which shows the NSW justice system isn’t working, Shadow Attorney General, Shadow Minister for Justice and Shadow Minister for Juvenile Justice Greg Smith SC said today.  

“Expenditure on corrective services per head of population has risen from $105.2 to $120.9 in NSW, well above the national average, and at the same time New South Wales’ rate of prisoners released who returned to prison under sentence within two years is still the highest of any state in the country at 43.8%,” Mr Smith said.

“It’s time the Labor Government pulled their head out of the sand and finally admitted that the justice system in NSW is broken and they need to fix it,” he said.

“The latest Productivity Commission figures once again show that throwing money at a problem won’t make it go away. We need new leadership in NSW that won’t just continue with business as usual when things aren’t working."

“Labor likes to talk about rehabilitating offenders, but these figures show that not enough emphasis is being put on rehabilitation programs which has led to higher costs and higher rates of recidivism."

“The Report on Government Services 2008 also shows that NSW had an escalating imprisonment rate to make NSW the state with the 2nd highest amount of prisoners, at 178.6 people per 100,000 people, which is well above the national average."

“NSW are incarcerating more indigenous prisoners than any other jurisdiction in Australia, bar Western Australia, with nearly 2,330 per 100,000, up from 2,200 in 2005-2006."

“The rate of prisoner deaths from apparent unnatural causes for indigenous people in NSW prisons is the highest in the country at 0.10, which is another dreadful indictment on the State Labor Government’s disregard for our indigenous community."

“Labor needs to take heed of these figures and investigate what is working in other states that are lowering their rate of recidivism and saving money in corrective services,” Mr Smith said.