Penny Wright (SA, Australian Greens) Share this | Hansard source

I move:

That the following matter be referred to the Legal and Constitutional Affairs References Committee for inquiry and report by 16 May 2013:

The value of a justice reinvestment approach to criminal justice in Australia, with particular reference to:

(a) the drivers behind the past 30 years of growth in the Australian imprisonment rate;

(b) the economic and social costs of imprisonment;

(c) the over representation of disadvantaged groups within Australian prisons, including Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and people experiencing mental ill health, cognitive disability and hearing loss;

(d) the cost, availability and effectiveness of alternatives to imprisonment, including prevention, early intervention, diversionary and rehabilitation measures;

(e) the methodology and objectives of justice reinvestment;

(f) the benefits of, and challenges to, implementing a justice reinvestment approach in Australia;

(g) the collection, availability and sharing of data necessary to implement a justice reinvestment approach;

(h) the implementation and effectiveness of justice reinvestment in other countries, including the United States of America;

(i) the scope for federal government action which would encourage the adoption of justice reinvestment policies by state and territory governments; and

(j) any other related matters.

Question agreed to.