INCARCERATION RATES

The Hon. T.J. STEPHENS (15:01): I seek leave to make a brief explanation before asking the Minister for Communities and Social Inclusion, representing the Minister for Correctional Services, questions about incarceration rates and costs in South Australia.

Leave granted.

The Hon. T.J. STEPHENS: Recently I received a commonwealth government publication Australian crime: facts and figures 2011, published by the Australian Institute of Criminology. The publication shows that over the previous two financial years South Australia's expenditure on correctional services has increased, while in Queensland and New South Wales there has been a marked decrease. This has corresponded with an increased incidence of serious crime and a steady increase in the incarceration rate over the last five years. My questions are:

1. Given the acknowledged statistics, does the minister agree that the government's current policy of 'rack 'em, pack 'em and stack 'em' has been a complete failure?

2. What is the current minister's view on this policy?

3. Does the minister support the use of shipping containers in lieu of cell blocks?

4. Going by the statistics, is it now time for the government to seriously consider a new correctional facility and honour its original promise from 2006?

The Hon. I.K. HUNTER (Minister for Communities and Social Inclusion, Minister for Social Housing, Minister for Disabilities, Minister for Youth, Minister for Volunteers) (15:02): I thank the honourable member for his important four questions on incarceration rates and costs. I will undertake to take that question to the Minister for Correctional Services and seek a response for him.