Build Communities, Not Prisons: The effects of the over-representation of Indigenous people in the criminal justice system

Indigenous people are over-represented at every stage of Australia’s criminal justice system (Wijesekere 2001; PHAA 2006; AIC 2004; Cuneen 2006), making up 24% of the total prisoner population in 2007 whilst comprising only 2.4% of the total population (ABS 2007b, p.6) These statistics reflect that Indigenous Australians are twelve times more likely to be incarcerated than non-Indigenous Australians. The effects of these high prison rates are extensive, as imprisonment and victimisation have proven to have long-term implications for the victims, the offender and the community (ABS 2005).

Read Build Communities, Not Prisons PDF (472kb)

Learn more about the Bachelor of Communication (Social and Political Sciences).