The South Australian Home Detention Program today received a bronze award in the community-led category of the 2023 Australian Crime and Violence Prevention Awards (ACVPAs).
The ACVPAs recognise best practice in the prevention or reduction of violence and other types of crime in Australia and play a vital role in highlighting effective community-based initiatives to prevent crime and violence before it occurs.
As part of the ‘10by20 Strategy’ to reduce offender recidivism, South Australia’s Department for Correctional Services introduced legislative reforms to enable court ordered home detention and expand its existing Home Detention Program. Supporting these legislative changes, the implementation of the Home Detention Integrated Support Service Program, delivered by Offender Aid and Rehabilitation Services (OARS), has been found to contribute to lower breach rates by supporting reintegration in the community.
An independent evaluation of the Home Detention Program by the University of New South Wales indicated that it diverted individuals from custody and reduced recidivism. It also demonstrates cost offsets for government and positive outcomes for individuals, families and communities.
“Home Detention is one of the department’s longest-running and most successful programs. We are proud that the independent research into this program across a six-year period reflects both the financial and rehabilitation benefits that can be achieved through alternatives to custody,” said Executive Director Ryan Haber.
“This award today acknowledges the dedication of police and support workers through their continuous interaction with offenders, keeping them engaged with their community and family as they progress through the criminal justice system. This has shown to improve mental health and reduce their likelihood of reoffending,” said Australian Institute of Criminology (AIC) Deputy Director Dr Rick Brown.
These annual awards recognise the outstanding contributions being made across Australia for crime prevention, including the development and implementation of practical projects to reduce violence and other types of crime in the community.
The awards are a joint initiative of the Australian, state and territory governments and are delivered by the AIC. All projects are assessed each year by the ACVPA Board, which consists of senior law enforcement representatives from each state and territory police service, and is chaired by the AIC Director.
For more information about the award winners, please visit aic.gov.au/acvpa.