Prisoner Support and Treatment

In reply to the Hon. J.S. LEE (19 October 2016).

The Hon. P. MALINAUSKAS (Minister for Police, Minister for Correctional Services, Minister for Emergency Services, Minister for Road Safety): I am advised:

When I announced the reducing reoffending target and appointment of the Strategic Policy Panel in August 2016, the panel was tasked with investigating best practice in correctional services policy to identify strategies that reduce rates of reoffending and promote rehabilitation and reintegration outcomes.

The panel was set a tight timeframe to provide their findings and worked tirelessly to understand the challenges facing the South Australian correctional system. Since August 2016, the panel had eight official meetings as well as additional meetings out of session with stakeholders, academics, prisoners, corrections staff, the Parole Board and Housing SA.

The panel's report was released publically on 9 December 2016. With the key principle of improving community safety, the panel has set out six overarching strategies underpinned by 36 individual recommendations, which outline a whole-of-system change in the approach to the management of offenders.

A copy of the report can be found online at: https://yoursay.sa.gov.au/decisions/yoursay-engagements-10by20sa/about.

I can advise that the government will respond within the first half of this year to the report recommendations through the development of an action plan to achieve the 10 per cent reduction in reoffending by 2020.