Prison to work report

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people are among Australia's most disadvantaged job seekers. So are ex-prisoners. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander ex-prisoners are doubly-disadvantaged as they try to find and hold down a job. While Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people comprised 3 per cent of the Australian population in 2015, they comprised a staggering 27 per cent of the incarcerated population. COAG Leaders indicate a shared commitment to better coordinating government services, especially in-prison training and rehabilitation programs, employment and health and income support services.

The report outlines nine findings: services and programmes offering support to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander prisoners should seek to be culturally competent; the assessment of a prisoner’s needs at intake could be improved; time in prison could better set up clear pathways to employment from prison; support could be improved for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander female prisoners; there is a lack of timely, coordinated and quality engagement with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander prisoners from employment and welfare services; there is a need for increased information-sharing and coordination; there is insufficient transitional support and through care; there is insufficient stable accommodation, including transitional housing; and there are data gaps and a patchy evidence base for what works.

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