Submission to the Senate Legal and Constitutional Affairs Committee on the value of a justice reinvestment approach to criminal justice in Australia

To address the underlying causes of Indigenous offending, we need to focus on education and employment—not be waylaid into thinking the answer lies with yet more ‘culturally appropriate’ or ‘Indigenous distinct’ programs. Education and employment may not sound as novel or exciting as Justice Reinvestment, but evidence shows both play a critical role in the high Indigenous incarceration rate. Improving educational outcomes should not rely on diverting funds from prison services but a basic right that states and territories should be covering in their education budgets.