A scathing report into Victorian prisons has found women are being incarcerated at unprecedented rates, with limited or no access to rehabilitation programs.
The total number of prisoners at the state’s two women’s prisons soared by more than 46 per cent in the four years to the end of 2014, with most being held at Ravenhall’s Dame Phyllis Frost Centre.
The number of female prisoners increased by almost 60 per cent in the five years from 2008-13, more than double the rate of growth in the male prison population.
Ombudsman Deborah Glass criticised current and former state governments for investing too much in building prisons rather than funding rehabilitation programs.
Her report found that women had limited or no access to rehabilitation programs because they were serving shorter sentences. But just a few years ago, there were no programs delivered to women to address issues associated with violent offending.
“Prison is a temporary solution – more than 99 per cent of the prisoners will be released. Victoria needs to ensure their rehabilitation and reintegration, to improve public safety and get better value for the $1 billion annual spend,” Ms Glass said.
“Building prisons is demonstrably not making us safer as a community.”
Ms Glass made 25 recommendations to the government, including giving women prisoners a similar service to that available at the Judy Lazarus Transition Centre. This centre houses 25 low-risk males taking part in a program to improve their employability, develop life skills, and re-establish community connections.
The state government has, in principle, supported the report’s recommendations.
