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Report: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Experience of Law

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Report: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Experience of Law The Senate Finance and Public Administration References Committee Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander experience of law enforcement and justice services October 2016 © Commonwealth of Australia 2016 ISBN 978-1-76010-469-6 Senate Finance and Public Administration Committee Secretariat: Ms Lyn Beverley (Secretary) Ms Ann Palmer (Principal Research Officer) Ms Brigid Simpson (Senior Research Officer) Ms Margaret Cahill (Research Officer) Ms Sarah Brasser (Administrative Officer) The Senate PO Box 6100 Parliament House Canberra ACT 2600 Ph: 02 6277 3530 Fax: 02 6277 5809 E-mail: [email protected] Internet: www.aph.gov.au/senate_fpa Printed by the Senate Printing Unit, Parliament House, Canberra. Membership of the Committee Members Senator Jenny McAllister (Chair) ALP, NSW Senator James Paterson (Deputy Chair from 12.9.2016) LP, VIC Senator Cory Bernardi (Deputy Chair from 1.9.2016 – 12.9.2016) LP, SA Senator the Hon Don Farrell ALP, SA Senator Bridget McKenzie NAT, VIC Senator Lisa Singh (from 1.9.2016 – 15.9.2016) ALP, SA Senator Lee Rhiannon (from 13.9.2016) AG, NSW Senator Murray Watt (from 15.9.2016 – 2.12.2016) ALP, QLD Senator Peter Whish-Wilson (from 1.9.2016 – 13.9.2016) AG, TAS 44th Parliament Former Committee Membership Senator Katy Gallagher (Chair from 26.3.2015 – 12.11.2015) ALP, ACT Senator the Hon Kate Lundy (Chair from 14.11.2013 – 23.3.2015) ALP, ACT Senator Cory Bernardi (Deputy Chair from 14.11.2013 – 9.5.2016) LP, SA Senator Joanna Lindgren (from 23.2.2016 – 9.5.2016) LP, QLD Senator the Hon Joseph Ludwig (from 1.7.2016 –9.5.2016) ALP, QLD Senator Claire Moore (from 12.2.2015 – 12.11.2015) ALP, ALD Senator Nova Peris (from 12.11.2016 – 9.5.2016) ALP, NT Senator Janet Rice (from 7.7.2014 – 9.5.2016) AG, VIC Senator Dean Smith (from 13.11.2013 – 23.2.2016) LP, WA Participating Senators Senator Susan Lines ALP, WA Senator Claire Moore ALP, QLD Senator Rachel Siewert AG, WA Table of Contents Membership of the Committee .......................................................................... 2 Chapter 1.............................................................................................................. 1 Introduction .............................................................................................................. 1 Referral ................................................................................................................... 1 Conduct of the inquiry ............................................................................................ 1 Context of the inquiry ............................................................................................. 2 Structure of the report ............................................................................................. 3 Acknowledgements ................................................................................................ 3 Chapter 2.............................................................................................................. 5 Legal assistance services .......................................................................................... 5 Commonwealth funding for legal assistance services ............................................ 8 Chapter 3............................................................................................................ 25 Unmet legal needs and barriers to legal assistance ............................................. 25 Introduction .......................................................................................................... 25 Unmet legal needs ................................................................................................ 25 Barriers to legal assistance services ..................................................................... 28 Chapter 4............................................................................................................ 41 Imprisonment of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders .................................. 41 Introduction .......................................................................................................... 41 Imprisonment of adults ......................................................................................... 41 Young people ........................................................................................................ 44 The adequacy of statistical information ............................................................... 45 Justice targets ........................................................................................................ 51 Chapter 5 ................................................................................................................. 59 Reasons for high Indigenous imprisonment rates ............................................... 59 Introduction .......................................................................................................... 59 Socio-economic factors ........................................................................................ 59 Structural bias ....................................................................................................... 70 Chapter 6............................................................................................................ 83 Current Programs .................................................................................................. 83 Introduction .......................................................................................................... 83 Fines and infringements ....................................................................................... 83 Custody Notification Service ............................................................................... 85 In prison programs ................................................................................................ 88 Post release ........................................................................................................... 90 Chapter 7............................................................................................................ 97 Alternatives to imprisonment ................................................................................ 97 Introduction .......................................................................................................... 97 Prevention ............................................................................................................. 97 Early Intervention ................................................................................................. 98 Diversion programs .............................................................................................. 99 Justice reinvestment ............................................................................................ 104 Chapter 8.......................................................................................................... 115 Committee view and recommendations.............................................................. 115 Adequacy of resources for legal assistance services .......................................... 115 Imprisonment of Indigenous people ................................................................... 116 Additional and dissenting comments from government senators .............. 123 Introduction ........................................................................................................ 123 Closing the gap ................................................................................................... 123 Indigenous incarceration rates ............................................................................ 124 Addressing disadvantage .................................................................................... 126 Funding ............................................................................................................... 133 Justice Reinvestment .......................................................................................... 137 Justice targets ...................................................................................................... 137 Royal Commission ............................................................................................. 138 Conclusion .......................................................................................................... 138 Australian Greens' Additional Comments on Access to Legal Assistance Services ............................................................................................................. 141 Introduction ........................................................................................................ 141 Barriers to legal assistance ................................................................................. 141 Imprisonment of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples ........................ 142 Reasons for high Indigenous imprisonment rates .............................................. 144 Current Programs ................................................................................................ 146 APPENDIX 1 ................................................................................................... 149 Submissions and additional information received by the committee ........ 149 Submissions ........................................................................................................ 149 Additional information ....................................................................................... 150
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