Prisons, Education Programs

In reply to Ms BEDFORD (Florey) (27 September 2018). (Estimates Committee B)

The Hon. C.L. WINGARD (Gibson—Minister for Police, Emergency Services and Correctional Services, Minister for Recreation, Sport and Racing): I have been advised:

The 2017-18 budget provided new funding of $9.2 million across the forward estimates for the Work Ready Release Ready Program. This program is a direct investment in prisoner education, vocational skill development and helping prisoners to prepare for employment upon release. The Adelaide Women's Prison is a key site in this program.

The Department for Correctional Services (DCS) is focused on developing strong partnerships across government, making best use of existing government funding for adult education and vocational training to improve access to education and vocational training within the prison system. This focus has resulted in DCS and TAFE SA establishing a Memorandum of Administrative Arrangement (MOAA). A key outcome of this partnership is that parties work closely together to provide targeted vocational training to prisoners across the prison system.

With regard to the ratio of female offenders, I can advise the following:

The proportion of females participating in education programs in 2017/18 was 12 per cent (of the total number of prisoners enrolled in education); and

Females make up approximately 7.5 per cent of our prisoner population (as at 4 October 2018).