Arabic version: معدل العودة إلى الجريمة في تسمانيا يثير دعوات لتعزيز دعم السجناء

According to ABC News, Tasmania has one of Australia’s highest recidivism rates, with 46.6 per cent of prisoners returning to prison within two years of release. Only New South Wales and the Northern Territory recorded higher rates in 2024-25, according to the Productivity Commission’s latest Report on Government Services.

Justice Reform Initiative Tasmania coordinator Pat Burton said the figures showed reoffending was a “huge problem”. Advocates have pointed to social stigma, employment barriers and a shortage of housing as factors that can push former prisoners back towards criminal behaviour. Burton said rehabilitation investment in Tasmania’s prison system had been inadequate “for decades”.

Shannon Pursell, 37, said he spent much of his adult life cycling through prison, with offences escalating from trespassing to burglary, common assault and drug trafficking. Everyday pressures after release, including arranging rent, a phone and parking, contributed to stress that he said led him back to alcohol, drugs and old influences.

Pursell has been supported by the Building Pathways program at Risdon Prison, coordinated by Men’s Resources Tasmania for about four years. Its transition-to-community initiative provides one-on-one coaching before and after release, with an emphasis on rebuilding relationships, communication and conflict management.

The program has supported about 60 people and graduated about 35 over four years; manager Brendan Sullivan said he knew of three graduates who had reoffended and returned to prison. Pursell said he has remained without a further charge for 18 months, his longest such period in years, though he faces sentencing on an earlier drug trafficking charge. The Tasmanian government said it was committed to reducing recidivism and offered prisoners intervention programs, counselling and mental health support.