Department for Correctional Services, $358,031,000

Minister:

Hon. P. Malinauskas, Minister for Police, Minister for Correctional Services, Minister for Emergency Services, Minister for Road Safety.

Departmental Advisers:

Mr D. Brown, Chief Executive, Department for Correctional Services.

Mr C. Sexton, Executive Director, Business and Information Services, Department for Correctional Services.

Ms K. Connolly, Acting Director, Governance and Executive Support, Department for Correctional Services.

Ms C. Arthur, Senior Executive Services Consultant, Department for Correctional Services.

Mr L. Golding, Chief of Staff.

The CHAIR: Welcome back to committee A. Are you all satisfied that you know the preamble without my reading it to you again? Minister and lead questioner on the opposition side, you have agreed on your format?

Mr VAN HOLST PELLEKAAN: Yes.

The Hon. P. MALINAUSKAS: Yes.

The CHAIR: We have no membership changes to the committee. I declare the proposed payments open for examination and refer members to the agency statements in Budget Paper 4, Volume 1. Minister, please introduce your advisers, and then proceed with your opening statement.

The Hon. P. MALINAUSKAS: Thank you, Madam Chair. I have Mr David Brown, who is Chief Executive of the Department for Correctional Services, on my right. On my left is Mr Chris Sexton, Executive Director, Business and Information Services. Behind me on my right is Ms Cindy Arthur, Senior Executive Services Consultant, and on her left is Kama Connolly, Acting Director, Governance and Executive Support. Also on her left is Mr Liam Golding, my Chief of Staff.

Correctional Services is a complex portfolio and one for which I am excited to be the responsible minister. Having only been the Minister for Correctional Services since January this year, I can assure you it has been a steep learning curve, but I have genuinely enjoyed and embraced every minute of it. 2015-16 has been a challenging and exciting year for the Department for Correctional Services, with continued pressure on the prison system and the realisation of a number of key projects.

As members would be aware, there continues to be a sustained growth in the South Australian prison population, but the government and the department continue to meet these demands. During 2015-16, an additional 230 beds were commissioned across the prison system, along with a state-of-the-art visitor reception centre at Mount Gambier Prison and a new health centre and high-dependency unit at Yatala Labour Prison.

I have made no secret of my commitment to exploring alternative options to imprisonment, and indeed this is an undertaking of the current government. The Criminal Justice Sector Reform Council, of which I am a member, is working to improve service delivery across the criminal justice sector, including Corrections.

Contemporary research shows that expanding the use of community-based supervision and rehabilitation with better sentencing and sanction options will help slow the rate of prisoner growth. In addition to reducing the costs associated with imprisonment, community sentencing options are shown to have better outcomes for the community. This can lead to further cost savings through a reduced propensity to reoffend.

In 2016, the Statutes Amendment (Home Detention) Bill 2015 passed through the parliament, resulting in an expanded use of home detention by the department. It will also enable the courts to use home detention as a sentencing option and as a key alternative to custody strategy. These strategies are supported by a number of NGOs that also provide support services. The government's commitment to reducing reoffending and increasing rehabilitation is reflected in this year's budget announcement, providing an additional $9.9 million for rehabilitation programs including domestic violence programs.

In 2015-16, the department continued to deliver a range of intensive programs to prisoners and offenders who have engaged in violent, sexual, substance-related or chronic general offending. To complement this, the department expanded education and training opportunities for prisoners and offenders by forming a partnership with TAFE SA for delivery of a range of new programs.

The department has maintained its commitment to the needs of female prisoners and offenders by launching The Strong Foundations & Clear Pathways: Women Offender Framework and Action Plan in December last year. As further evidence of the commitment to women, in particular ending violence against women, the department has successfully achieved White Ribbon workplace accreditation, and I congratulate David and his team on this important achievement.

I would like to quickly mention the partnership that the department entered into with SAHMRI's Wellbeing and Resilience Centre to improve the wellbeing of staff and prisoners. The department was fortunate to have a series of workshops delivered by two senior staff, Brigadier General Dr Rhonda Cornum and Chris Poe from TechWerks, both of whom are experts in the delivery of wellbeing and resilience skills to the United States of America military.

Despite Corrections being a difficult area of public administration, I am committed to working with the department to ensure it continues to fulfil its obligations to effectively manage the state's prisoners and offenders. I want to highlight that in terms of community safety, the department's obligations do not just end with prisoners and offenders. The department must maintain an ever-present duty of care to victims of crime. We will also keep exploring new pathways and implementing changes to benefit the system and ultimately the community at large.

Mr VAN HOLST PELLEKAAN: I will make a very short comment; that is, for the time that I have been the shadow minister for correctional services, I have thoroughly enjoyed it, and I find it a fascinating portfolio. The more time I spend in it, the more I learn about it. As the minister said, it is a very complex and very interesting portfolio, and the people who work in DCS do extremely valuable work on behalf of South Australians, and I join with the minister in congratulating David Brown and his department for achieving White Ribbon accreditation status.

I refer to page 144. As I did at the beginning of Police, I will go through and get some numbers that I need to have on the record. How many prisoners were in custody at 30 June 2016?

The Hon. P. MALINAUSKAS: I am advised that number as at 30 June was 2,954.

Mr VAN HOLST PELLEKAAN: Just to confirm, does that include remandees in that total prisoner population?

The Hon. P. MALINAUSKAS: That is correct, yes.

Mr VAN HOLST PELLEKAAN: What was the average and what was the peak number of prisoners in 2015-16?

The Hon. P. MALINAUSKAS: The average daily prisoner number in the last financial year, I am advised, was 2,870, which is, I might point out, below the projected number of 2,876.

Mr VAN HOLST PELLEKAAN: What was the peak? That was the average. What was the peak?

The Hon. P. MALINAUSKAS: I should say that that was lower than what the estimated result was. I am advised that that number was 3,025 and I am also advised that was on 21 June.

Mr VAN HOLST PELLEKAAN: What is the approved bed capacity of the prison system as of 30 June 2016?

The Hon. P. MALINAUSKAS: As at 30 June this year, DCS's funding capacity was 2,861 beds.

Mr VAN HOLST PELLEKAAN: What is the surge bed capacity, and where are those extra beds located?

The Hon. P. MALINAUSKAS: I am advised that number is 114. I am also in a position to provide a breakdown: six at Cadell Training Centre, 12 at Mount Gambier Prison, 14 at Port Augusta Prison, 24 at Port Lincoln Prison, eight at Yatala Labour Prison, 31 at the City Watchhouse and 19 at Holden Hill police cells.

Mr VAN HOLST PELLEKAAN: Minister, if I am not mistaken, during police estimates the commissioner said that Holden Hill was not fulfilling that process any longer.

The Hon. P. MALINAUSKAS: I think the police commissioner made those remarks, but I think you might find, and I am happy to double-check this, that he was making those remarks in the context of SAPOL's use of Holden Hill police cells, as distinct from DCS's use of Holden Hill police cells.

Mr VAN HOLST PELLEKAAN: I think he was saying that SAPOL does not hold DCS custodians at Holden Hill.

The Hon. P. MALINAUSKAS: No, but DCS might hold DCS custodians at Holden Hill.

Mr VAN HOLST PELLEKAAN: As part of the surge capacity?

The Hon. P. MALINAUSKAS: Correct. I think that is right. I am advised by DCS that they do use Holden Hill Police Station for people that are in DCS's custody, and of course DCS then staff it accordingly. Does that make sense? Am I being clear?

Mr VAN HOLST PELLEKAAN: Yes.

The Hon. P. MALINAUSKAS: I think you will find that the police commissioner's remarks—and again, as I said, I am happy to double-check this—about police using Holden Hill for the purpose of custody, were that SAPOL does not use Holden Hill Police Station for the purpose of keeping people in SAPOL's custody, which is quite distinct from the Department for Correctional Services using Holden Hill Police Station for people they have in their custody.

Mr VAN HOLST PELLEKAAN: Thank you, minister, and I guess we will both check those things. Is there a greater risk to holding prisoners in surge capacity versus holding them in the approved cells?

The Hon. P. MALINAUSKAS: When you say 'risk', risk in what respect?

Mr VAN HOLST PELLEKAAN: Risk to prisoners, risk to DCS staff, risk of escape, risk of suicide—a whole range of risks.

The Hon. P. MALINAUSKAS: I am advised that DCS has not identified any substantial increase in risks associated with using surge accommodation.

Mr VAN HOLST PELLEKAAN: When was the last time that DCS did not need to use any of the surge capacity?

The Hon. P. MALINAUSKAS: I think we will have to take that one on notice.

Mr VAN HOLST PELLEKAAN: I now refer to page 136. Of the FTEs that are shown there on the bottom of that page, can you please advise how many of them are in rehabilitation reparation, how many of them are in custodial services, and how many of them are in community-based services?

The Hon. P. MALINAUSKAS: What area are you particularly interested in? Are you interested in the 2015-16 year estimated result, or the budget?

Mr VAN HOLST PELLEKAAN: Yes, the estimated result for the financial year just finished.

The Hon. P. MALINAUSKAS: I am advised that the estimated result for the 2015-16 year is that the number in custodial services is 1,360.4; in community-based services it is 287.5; and in rehabilitation reparation it is 216.5.

Mr VAN HOLST PELLEKAAN: Chair, the member for Hammond would like to ask two questions, please.

The CHAIR: My favourite member—member for Hammond—or you may be until you ask your question.

Mr PEDERICK: Thank you Madam Chair, I hope I remain in good stead. I have a couple of questions in regard to Mobilong. I refer to Budget Paper 4, Volume 1, page 137, Existing projects. I refer to this section, specifically, additional modular accommodation of 72 beds, as well as the additional 26 announced within this budget. With the extra beds, the prison will be housing at least 460 inmates. Can the minister advise what future measures will be put in place to assist the prison, which was originally built for 160 inmates?

The Hon. P. MALINAUSKAS: Sorry, what additional—

Mr PEDERICK: What future measures will be put in place to assist the management and running of a prison which was originally built for 160 inmates and is going to be over at least 460 with these new beds?

The Hon. P. MALINAUSKAS: I am advised that a number of enhancements have been made to Mobilong in light of the additional prisoner capacity that it will have; for example, enhancements to the education centre to increase the number of prisoner programs delivered, enhancement of the offender development unit, additional AVL facilities as well, and I have been advised that the visitor facilities have been increased and enhanced. Naturally, with additional prisoners, so too there will be increased demand on human resources, and that work is being undertaken as well to determine what that may look like.

Mr PEDERICK: What are AVL facilities?

The Hon. P. MALINAUSKAS: AVL stands for audiovisual link facilities, so for the purposes of being in contact with courts. AVL has proven to be a useful tool used by the department, which reduces costs and also risks associated with the transportation of prisoners. It also allows for a more efficient communication with the courts.

Mr PEDERICK: In regard to the same budget line, under Existing Projects, it acknowledges that the prison at Mobilong recently underwent a security system upgrade. However, with the expected increase in prison numbers, can the minister advise as to whether he has received any requests for further security measures to be implemented by staff working for the department of corrections?

The Hon. P. MALINAUSKAS: I am not aware of any requests that have been made from the department through to me. I am not aware of any representations that have been made to me as the minister by the department of corrections regarding any security issues at the site.

Mr PEDERICK: The minister believes that with these extra beds security will be able to manage these extra numbers without any problems?

The Hon. P. MALINAUSKAS: DCS places a very high priority on security. Security is always paramount within the Department for Correctional Services, and I have not received any advice that security would be compromised as a result of this expansion. I have just been advised that there are no additional risks that the department is aware of currently.

Mr VAN HOLST PELLEKAAN: Minister, I refer to page 144, and I come back to some of those prisoner numbers. You advised that the approved capacity was 2,861, the surge capacity was 114 and the total—if my quick sums are right—is 2,975. On 21 June there were 3,025 prisoners. Where were the surplus prisoners housed who were over and above approved and surge capacity?

The Hon. P. MALINAUSKAS: Being a question that is operational in nature, I might refer it to Mr Brown, chief executive of the department.

Mr BROWN: Could you just repeat the question?

Mr VAN HOLST PELLEKAAN: Yes, certainly, Mr Brown. If I have these numbers right—which I think I have, but tell me if not—the approved bed capacity as at 30 June I was told was 2,861 and the surge bed capacity was 114, which comes to a total of 2,975. I was also advised that on 21 June—nine days earlier, so presumably the numbers would not have changed too much—there were 3,025 prisoners in custody, which is 50 over the maximum capacity of the prison for approved beds plus surge beds. The question is: where were those 50 prisoners housed?

Mr BROWN: It would be my preference to take that question on notice so we can provide you with specific details. All those prisoners were accommodated within the department's correctional facilities, and there were some additional beds utilised within some of those facilities. I will get that breakdown for you and take that on notice.

Mr VAN HOLST PELLEKAAN: Thanks, Mr Brown, I appreciate that. Minister, when that happened, just six or so weeks ago, were you aware at the time that there were 50 prisoners in the system over and above the maximum capacity, including surge capacity?

The Hon. P. MALINAUSKAS: My office receives regular updates around what the daily prisoner population is. I expect that the department would advise me if any of those numbers presented a severe risk. I have been regularly advised by the Department for Correctional Services, upon requests made by me and indeed voluntary briefings provided by them, that there is capacity within the Department for Correctional Services to accommodate surges of the nature you refer to.

Mr VAN HOLST PELLEKAAN: What is that third category called? If there is a category of space that is approved bed capacity, and there is a category of space called 'surge bed' capacity, what is the category called for housing prisoners over and above those first two categories?

The Hon. P. MALINAUSKAS: Those beds fall into the category of the one I referred to earlier, surge beds. I am not aware of any particular unique term applied to the beds you refer to. Surge beds are surge beds.

Mr VAN HOLST PELLEKAAN: And there are 114 of them. That is what you told me. When capacity is greater than 114, over and above approved capacity, what category is that, given that you have just said that you are comfortable that the system has the ability to cope in those circumstances?

The Hon. P. MALINAUSKAS: I might invite the chief executive of the department to answer the question about how he deals operationally with the circumstances to which you refer.

Mr BROWN: Again, I mentioned earlier that I would like to provide a detailed breakdown by taking that question on notice. To cite a couple of examples of some flexibility we have within the system, we plan for 31 surge beds at the Adelaide City Watchhouse. We do have the capacity, subject to SAPOL's operational requirements, and that generally is driven by the day of the week that the surge arises, to take that to 38. In fact, we have the ability, through direct consultation between myself and the commissioner, to take it a little bit higher than 38 as well.

The other area we have been able to utilise is where we have prisoners in long-term hospital stays, where they are admitted to hospital. We have the ability and flexibility for a short term to backfill those beds to provide for surge. They are two examples of how we accommodate days such as the day we had 3,025 in the system. We can provide a detailed breakdown of that day for you by taking that question on notice.

Mr VAN HOLST PELLEKAAN: That would be great, Mr Brown. Essentially, through the minister, you are confirming that in these cases, where the prison population exceeds approved beds plus surge beds, there are other beds found for them in other places?

The Hon. P. MALINAUSKAS: That is my advice, yes.

Mr VAN HOLST PELLEKAAN: What would have been happening the day I visited one of the prisons, when there were three people in a two-person cell and one of them was sleeping on the floor with his head very close to the door? He was on the floor just inside the door, and it was not possible to enter the cell. I was there under the supervision of DCS staff. I would have had to step on his head. He had to get up. That prisoner on that day had no extra bed. He was actually lying on the floor. You have explained approved capacity, you have explained surge capacity, and you have explained capacity in excess of surge capacity, where all prisons have another bed in another place somehow. What is going on when there are prisoners lying on the floor?

The Hon. P. MALINAUSKAS: I have been regularly advised by the department that no one sleeps on the floor in prison cells. Rather, other measures are taken to ensure that does not take place, including, for instance, using stretcher beds and the like.

Mr VAN HOLST PELLEKAAN: Minister, I can assure you that it was the middle of the day, so it depends on what your definition of 'sleep' is, but he was lying on the floor.

The Hon. P. MALINAUSKAS: If a prisoner decides to voluntarily lie on the floor in the middle of the day, then that of course is an option presumably available to him. What I am telling you is that I am advised that no prisoners are not provided with a mechanism to avoid sleeping on the floor, presumably at night-time.

Mr VAN HOLST PELLEKAAN: Minister, he was on the floor because the other two prisoners were in the only two beds, so I am just trying to find out—

The Hon. P. MALINAUSKAS: At what time of the day were you there?

Mr VAN HOLST PELLEKAAN: Midmorning.

The Hon. P. MALINAUSKAS: Most people sleep at night.

Mr VAN HOLST PELLEKAAN: So, that is not beyond surge capacity? When I asked you if, when the prisoner population is in excess of approved capacity, in excess of surge capacity, everybody has a bed found somewhere, you answered yes.

The Hon. P. MALINAUSKAS: That is what I am advised; that is correct.

Mr VAN HOLST PELLEKAAN: So there was something else happening in this situation?

The Hon. P. MALINAUSKAS: You are talking about something that was happening in the middle of the day. I cannot speak with any authority on what prisoners elect to do in their own time. What I have been advised by the Department for Correctional Services is that they undertake a range of different measures to ensure that no prisoner is compelled to sleep on the floor.

Mr VAN HOLST PELLEKAAN: Recently, there was a procedural change, and we touched on this before, so that SAPOL deliver prisoners or arrestees or remandees, depending on what the situation is, to DCS. It used to be they had to get them to DCS by 4pm on any day, and I am told that now it is by noon on any day. If they cannot get the person into DCS custody by noon, then SAPOL have to keep the person until the next day and get them there before noon the next day. Is that something that is operating all over the state?

The Hon. P. MALINAUSKAS: This being a question that is operational in nature, I might invite the chief executive to answer it.

Mr BROWN: I can advise that the Correctional Services Regulations provide for the admission of prisoners to occur between the hours of 9am and 6pm. It is certainly 6pm. It could be a bit earlier than 9am, working on my memory, but I am pretty sure it is 9am to 6pm. We ordinarily take admissions up to 6pm every working day of the week, and there is also the flexibility for the chief executive to accept admissions after 6pm if good reason exists to do so.

We do routinely, especially on a high court day for first appearances, face a situation where we need to receive some people after 6pm. I am not aware of any requirement for SAPOL to deliver prisoners to us before 12pm. For most of the metropolitan courts, the in-court custody management services are provided by G4S custodial services. They ordinarily deliver prisoners to DCS facilities but, in a regional context, that function is often performed by SAPOL themselves.

Mr VAN HOLST PELLEKAAN: Thanks, Mr Brown. Through the minister, just to be sure, to the best of your knowledge, that requirement to deliver them before noon does not exist?

The Hon. P. MALINAUSKAS: That is what I am being advised by the department.

Ms WORTLEY: I am referring to Budget Paper 4, Volume 1, page 140. I just want to know a little bit more about the increase in funding for rehabilitation programs, including domestic violence.

The Hon. P. MALINAUSKAS: As Minister for Correctional Services, of course I am committed to increasing the focus on reducing reoffending and increasing rehabilitation. This government recently made a budget investment of an additional $9.9 million for these important programs. This means more rehabilitation for offenders, ultimately reducing the rate with which prisoners reoffend and increasing community safety.

Programs are vital. They are central to rehabilitation and reducing reoffending. The department's programs are currently delivered across a range of locations, both in prisons and community corrections. Departmental initiatives are focused jointly on rehabilitation processes, as well as targeting resources towards those offenders who present the highest threat to public safety. In 2015-16, the department delivered 5,418 program hours. This resulted in higher than the target of 5,200 and, with the additional funding provided in the state budget, it is forecast that 6,555 program hours will be delivered in 2016-17.

Since the additional funding was approved, 19 new positions have been created comprising 16 clinical staff and three support staff; nine of these new positions have already been filled. These important extra resources will allow a projected 19 extra group programs to be run during 2016-17, meaning that 228 extra participant places can be provided. This significant investment includes an ongoing focus on the current program suite but also includes new programs targeting domestic violence, as well as a new pilot trialling a prisoner-based drugs and therapeutic community at Cadell Training Centre. These programs will be run in both prisons and within community corrections and include a program called Domestic and Family Violence Intervention Program.

Domestic violence is a scourge within our community. It has taken too long and too many victims before we started to realise the depth of this scourge, but now that it is coming to light it deserves every effort possible to be able to take it on. Domestic violence in all forms is not acceptable, and sadly an increasing number of those within our corrections system are there for domestic violence related offences.

The domestic and family violence program, delivered in partnership with the department and Central Domestic Violence Service, is designed for male offenders and prisoners who have an identified history of committing domestic and family violence against a female partner in the context of an intimate relationship. The partners of the program participants, or men who refuse to participate, are offered counselling and support for the duration of the program, or longer, if required. The program is delivered over 10 weeks and consists of 55 treatment hours. The content of the program is designed to challenge the abuse-supportive attitudes and behaviours of participants but also seeks to simultaneously ensure the safety of women and children through its supporting structures.

The Living without Violence program is another new program that is being delivered within prisons and community corrections. It is a moderate intensity therapeutic group program delivered by psychologists and social workers from the Rehabilitation programs branch with specialist experience and knowledge in working with violent offenders. The Living without Violence program is delivered over approximately 16 weeks and consists of approximately 145 hours of criminogenic treatment. In line with the risk, needs, responsivity model of criminogenic treatment, as the program is a moderate intensity program it is specifically designed for prisoners and offenders identified as being at moderate risk of violent reoffending who have a moderate level of rehabilitative need.

The pilot program, Therapeutic Community, currently trialling at Cadell Training Centre, is a structured environment in which residents work together to understand their past substance abuse issues and to develop ways to change their thinking and behaviour to work towards a goal of developing a healthy and fulfilling life without drugs or alcohol. It incorporates a wellbeing and resilience framework in line with the vision to build South Australia as a state of wellbeing.

A new moderate intensity sexual offender rehabilitation program is currently under development. This program will target sentenced prisoners who have been convicted of sexual abuse, or who have a significant history of concerning sexual behaviours, and have been assessed at as a moderate low risk of sexual reoffending. This new, moderate intensity program will be run over a four month duration and will be delivered within a custodial setting. It is planned that the first program of this nature will begin in January/February 2017. Offenders assessed as high risk of sexual reoffending will still be provided the existing, high intensity Sexual Behaviour Clinic program.

An important existing program created in 2007, addressing Indigenous domestic violence, is the Cross Border Indigenous Family Violence Program. This program is a family violence perpetrator program that operates primarily within the NPY lands and is delivered over a four-week period. The central tenet of the program concerns the criminality of family violence, and the content aims to challenge abuse-supportive attitude in a non-threatening manner to encourage participants to take responsibility for their thoughts, feelings and behaviour. In 2015-16, the Cross Borders program was also delivered to the Port Augusta Prison to Indigenous men who have engaged in domestic violence and are planning to return to the lands.

Another Aboriginal offender program run by the department is the Our Way My Choice program which is a cultural and wellness program for Aboriginal men within correctional centres. The program aims to increase self-awareness and engagement of its participants. The program serves as a preparatory program for other criminogenic programs such as the VPP, the Sexual Behaviours Clinic, the Sexual Behaviours Me Clinic and the Making Changes program. This program is run over eight weeks for approximately 96 hours.

The Respect Sista Girls 2 program is a cultural and wellness program for Aboriginal women within correctional centres. The program aims to increase the self-awareness and engagement of its participants. The program is still in a pilot phase but it is intended to be used as a preparatory program for other criminogenic programs like the Our Way My Choice program. The program is designed to run over 12 weeks for approximately 72 hours.

The ultimate objective of the department is to improve outcomes for the community through efforts to reduce offender recidivism and provide for successful reintegration back into the community. This includes the use of meaningful and targeted rehabilitation and education programs in addition to effective partnerships with other government departments, community-based organisations, volunteers and the private sector.

In closing, no matter what the crime, rehabilitation is critical to the positive reintegration of a prisoner back into the community. The more we invest in rehabilitation the less we will see repeat offenders, and the safer our communities will be.

The CHAIR: The member for Stuart.

Mr VAN HOLST PELLEKAAN: Minister, in the budget there is $9.7 million for additional resources to manage prisoners outside of the prison system. Where will those beds be located, how will they be managed and how many of them will there be?

The Hon. P. MALINAUSKAS: Which budget line are you referring to?

Mr VAN HOLST PELLEKAAN: I refer to Budget Paper 5, page 26, in the middle of the page there. It is the $10 million that you have to house prisoners until your extended capacity catches up with prisoner growth.

The Hon. P. MALINAUSKAS: Yes. My advice is that those funds are being used to pay for the costs associated with that additional surge accommodation, much in line with those beds that I referred to earlier in the more thorough breakdown that I provided.

Mr VAN HOLST PELLEKAAN: Is that towards the 114 surge beds or is this additional capacity over and above them?

The Hon. P. MALINAUSKAS: Yes, it is towards the 114.

Mr VAN HOLST PELLEKAAN: What operational cost is in the budget for that additional surge capacity or is that incorporated?

The Hon. P. MALINAUSKAS: The figure that you referred to on page 26 incorporates the operational cost attached to those surge beds.

Mr VAN HOLST PELLEKAAN: I refer to Budget Paper 4, Volume 1, the main book, back to page 142 right at the top where it says:

increased funding for the operational costs associated with temporary beds implemented to meet expected demand across a number of sites ($2.8 million).

Based on what you just said, that is not to do with the $10 million expenditure contribution towards surge capacity, so what is that $2.8 million for, please?

The Hon. P. MALINAUSKAS: I am advised that that figure to which you refer, the $2.8 million figure on page 142, falls within the $9.7 million figure to which you earlier referred.

The Hon. J.M. RANKINE: I refer to Budget Paper 4, Volume 1, page 139. One of the areas that I was particularly interested in when I was minister for correctional services is what we are actually doing to help women offenders, both in prison and in their rehabilitation. Minister, could you give us an update regarding the department's Women Offender Framework that has been developed, which is very pleasing to see?

The Hon. P. MALINAUSKAS: I would like to thank the member for this very important question regarding a pretty important subject. I would like to acknowledge the parliament's ongoing commitment to bringing greater attention to the unique needs of female prisoners within South Australian prisons. As of 30 June this year, female prisoners represented 6.7 per cent of the South Australian prison population. Although the percentage of female prisoners may look insignificant in comparison with the overall prison population, there has been an increase in the female daily average prison population of 76.2 per cent over the past decade.

The female remand population has for the first time in 2015 overtaken the sentenced population. An across government women on remand work group has been established to investigate the trend and short and long-term problem-solving strategies, and report to the Criminal Justice Sector Reform Council. Of further concern is that Aboriginal women remain represented in both prison and community correction populations.

Female prisoners are more likely to present with serious mental health concerns, including post-traumatic stress disorder, personality disorder and depression and anxiety disorders. They often have limited education, poor employment history, poor coping skills and experiences of childhood and adult abuse. Additionally, female prisoners are often mothers and sole carers of the children prior to their imprisonment.

The department has taken positive steps to improve its service delivery to female prisoners and offenders, and I am pleased to provide an update in relation to this important work. Based on government and community stakeholder consultation, the Strong Foundations & Clear Pathways: Women Offender Framework and Action Plan was developed and officially launched in December last year. The framework and action plan strategies address a variety of areas, ranging from assessment and case management, programming, training and employment strategies through to resettlement services and infrastructure development.

A ministerial work group, which I look forward to being part of, has been publicly announced, and is a joint work group between the Minister for the Status of Women and me. The work group will oversee the implementation of the strategy and is comprised of government, business and community sector representatives, including victim and offender advocates. I am pleased to say that the first meeting of the work group will take place on 23 August this year. The purpose of the work group is to oversee implementation and problem-solve barriers to the advancement of initiatives, especially across-government initiatives. It is also intended to open up new opportunity, especially in the areas of higher education, training and work and women offenders community resettlement.

You may have heard about a number of cases in which pregnant women and new mothers have argued against a prison sentence to ensure they maintain contact with their young children. I can assure you that every effort is currently made for a primary caregiver to complete their sentence in the community—for example, through release on home detention—when an appropriate environment can be identified and safety requirements can be put in place.

Given release on home detention is not always possible, a range of strategies and programs are being progressed to facilitate contact between mothers and their children, which reaches a greater cross-section of incarcerated mothers and incorporates approaches that are responsive to a range of child requirements and age groups, in keeping with current prisoner demand. These strategies seek to enable women offenders to maintain family ties and ultimately reunify them with their children, while also equipping them with skills to increase their confidence as parents.

Women located at the Adelaide Pre-release Centre now have access to a six-day-a-week visit schedule. The number of weekend visits available to women at the Adelaide Women's Prison has increased from five visits at one time to 12 visits, significantly expanding the number of women able to have contact with their children each week. There is also a new children's play area at the AWP visitor centre, which allows for a more comfortable and child-friendly environment.

In the community, the department has entered into a partnership with the Women's and Children's Health Network. From their Port Adelaide site, women are now able to undertake correctional supervision and gain access to needed women's health services and counselling. I commend the wonderful work being undertaken to address the needs of female prisoners and offenders. These combined strategies will provide a strong foundation for rehabilitation and provide women with the opportunity to improve their ability to successfully reintegrate into the community and maintain offence-free lifestyles.

Mr VAN HOLST PELLEKAAN: Thank you, minister. Referring back to Budget Paper 5, page 26, what is the expected increase in the number of offenders on home detention from 2015 to 2016-17 and over the forward estimates?

The Hon. P. MALINAUSKAS: To be sure I am about to read out an accurate answer to your question, would you mind repeating the question?

Mr VAN HOLST PELLEKAAN: With regard to the expected increase in the number of offenders on home detention, for a couple of reasons but including the bill that has gone through parliament, from 2015-16 to 2016-17 and over the forward estimates.

The Hon. P. MALINAUSKAS: I have a number that relates to what we expect the benefits to be. I am advised that we are expecting prisoner numbers to be reduced by 129 than would otherwise be the case by 2018. Regarding the specific number of people going on home detention, for the sake of brevity I think we might take that one on notice and get you an answer as soon as possible.

Mr VAN HOLST PELLEKAAN: Is that 129 reduction as a result of the bill and of the extra ability to offer home detention?

The Hon. P. MALINAUSKAS: My advice is that the number of 129 reflects the additional numbers that would not otherwise have been achieved without the passing of the home detention legislation to which you refer.

Mr VAN HOLST PELLEKAAN: Minister, would you provide a breakdown on how the $2 million to implement the home detention bill in 2016-17 and the $4.5 million in every year after that is going to be spent?

The Hon. P. MALINAUSKAS: In simple terms, it goes to the employment of 8.4 FTEs to operationalise the bill by implementing the supervision and management of offenders subject to court ordered home detention and by continuing to expand the use of the home detention program. A significant amount of that money, I am advised, also goes towards the engagement of NGOs to provide wraparound services to accompany home detention.

Mr VAN HOLST PELLEKAAN: But there are no extra monitors or GPS tracking? It is not going to rent or facilities or anything like that; it is purely wages, people and skills to oversee that?

The Hon. P. MALINAUSKAS: No. I am advised that a portion of that funding does go to the physical infrastructure that is required, the bracelets themselves for instance.

Mr VAN HOLST PELLEKAAN: I refer to page 147 of the main book that we have been looking at. What has been done to increase the successful completion of intensive bail supervision from 52 per cent 70 per cent? You will see there that the estimated result for intensive bail supervision for the year just finished is 52 but the target for the financial year we have just started is 70.

The Hon. P. MALINAUSKAS: Being a question that is partly operational in nature, I might ask the chief executive to answer that.

Mr BROWN: Thank you, minister. The intensive bail supervision program is very closely supervised by our staff. A 52 per cent successful completion rate also highlights and reflects how vigilant the department is in ensuring that offenders comply with the conditions of their bail agreement, including activities like drug and alcohol testing. The successful completions are recorded very conservatively, such that the individual order may have to still be completed to the court's satisfaction but it is only counted as successful if they do not include any breach reports being submitted for the offender subject to that bail supervision.

If we submit a breach report for an offender subject to intensive bail supervision, it does not automatically result in that offender necessarily being returned to custody by the court, but we would still count that as a breach. In terms of improving the performance of the order, our focus is on ensuring that offenders comply with the conditions of their bail agreement, and the rigorous supervision that is in place means that we are bringing technical breaches of that order to the attention of the court through SAPOL on a regular basis.

Mr VAN HOLST PELLEKAAN: Referring to page 146, what is the total operating cost of the Bail Accommodation Support Program in 2016-17—that is the dot point right at the bottom of page 146—and is any capital investment included in that program?

The Hon. P. MALINAUSKAS: My advice is that there will be a cost associated with the operation of the Bail Accommodation Support Program, and that would be in the order of $1.9 million per annum. However, we do not expect the program to be fully operational until next financial year. In respect of the current financial year, it appears as though the program is starting to ramp up and come into effect in the last quarter of this financial year. In terms of a specific figure for this financial year in respect to that last quarter, I am happy to take it on notice if you like.

Mr VAN HOLST PELLEKAAN: How many offenders are expected to participate in this program?

The Hon. P. MALINAUSKAS: I am advised it is a 30-bed facility.

The CHAIR: The time having elapsed for questions in this area, I declare the examination of the proposed payments completed.