Strategic Objectives

Our goal is the Government’s target to reduce re-offending by 25% by 2017. Our vision is to create lasting change by breaking the cycle of re-offending. Public safety remains our bottom line.

The department has achieved significant gains in reducing re-offending. This was achieved through brief and focused interventions towards low-level offending, and saw significant reductions in imprisonment for offenders who had previously been convicted for low-level traffic, drug, or similar crimes. When the goal to reduce re-offending by 25% by 2017 was set in 2012 it was an ambitious goal, but one that remains achievable.

A review of our efforts and a refreshed approach will see a greater focus on key population groups that have historically not been targeted, and a strategic approach to reducing the harm of re-offending. This includes more emphasis on success with short-serving prisoners and increasing delivery of interventions to a higher volume of community-based offenders. Key initiatives are also being developed or expanded to support further reductions in re-offending by better targeting offenders’ needs.

In order to achieve reducing re-offending and improving public safety outcomes, the department will focus on five intermediate outcomes. A series of Key Performance Indicators sets out how we will measure our performance.

Our targeted approach to reducing re-offending has seen us develop strategies in specific delivery areas, with a focus on outcomes that we know contribute to a reduction in re-offending.

We will continue to deliver alcohol and other drug treatment as well as new and expanded rehabilitation interventions for prisoners and community-based offenders. More prisoners will receive education and employment training while we continue to work with employers and industries to provide jobs for community offenders and prisoners released from prison. We will partner with community groups to deliver rehabilitation and assist with reintegration into the community.

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