Criminal Justice

Australia is currently experiencing a persistent and unprecedented, country-wide shortage of workers. Currently, Western Australia is hardest hit by worker shortages. The number of job vacancies in WA is equivalent to 10% of the WA working age population not in the labour force, close to double states such as South Australia. Chart 1: Job vacancies as a percentage of working-age

Dear Committee Members, Inquiry into Tasmanian Adult Imprisonment and Youth Detention Matters I am writing this letter regarding the current inquiry into Tasmanian adult imprisonment and youth detention matters. I note the Committee was given the following Terms of Reference: To inquire into and report upon Tasmanian corrective services and justice system matters related to adult imprisonment and youth detention

Dear Committee Secretary, Institute of Public Affairs (‘IPA’) Submission to the Inquiry Into Promoting Economic Dynamism, Competition, and Business Formation The purpose of this letter is to share research and analysis conducted by the IPA, with the Standing Committee on Economics’ (‘the Committee’) inquiry into promoting economic dynamism, competition, and business formation. Attached to this are five research reports relevant

Our latest research brief discusses Australia’s alarming incarceration rate and nationwide worker shortages. IPA research has found that over-incarceration and worker shortages could be addressed by adopting sensible criminal justice reform. If the proposed offender employment program was adopted for low-risk non-violent offenders, government budgets could be improved by $2 billion every year through reduced prison costs and increased income

“As Australia faces simultaneous incarceration and worker shortage crises, many low-risk non-violent offenders could be gainfully employed in the community right now without risk,” said Professor Mirko Bagaric, Dean of the Swinburne University of Technology Law School. Today, the Institute of Public Affairs released a new research report, Let Them Work: How Criminal Justice Reform Can Help Address Australia’s Worker

Dear Secretary Submission to the Senate Economics References Committee Inquiry into Australian Securities and Investments Commission Investigation and Enforcement This submission has been prepared for the Senate Economics References Committee regarding its inquiry into the Australian Securities and Investments Commission investigation and enforcement activities. The aspects of the terms of reference which are dealt with in the submission are: The

“Stronger incentives for rehabilitation can improve private prisons and lead to reduced reoffending, less crime, and lower costs for taxpayers,” said Andrew Bushnell, Research Fellow at the free market think tank, the Institute of Public Affairs. The IPA today released a new research report on private prisons in Australia. Eight of Australia’s 98 prisons are operated by private companies. These

Criminal justice reform is a combination of measures designed to arrest and reverse the rise of incarceration, reduce reoffending and crime, guarantee community safety, and save taxpayers money. This is an ambitious agenda but experience from the United States shows that it is possible—and for Western Australia, increasingly vital. Download the report here

“The rapid growth of incarceration in Western Australia is imposing significant costs on taxpayers without improving community safety,” said Andrew Bushnell, Research Fellow at the Institute of Public Affairs. “Parliament should act now to reform the criminal justice system by expanding alternatives to incarceration for nonviolent offenders and emphasizing the importance of employment for offender rehabilitation.” Mr Bushnell leads the

US President Donald Trump’s endorsement of criminal justice reform is a landmark for conser­vatives. After campaigning as the “law and order candidate”, Trump has been won over by the argument that government can reduce the growth of incarceration, boost rehabilitation and save money in the long term. Trump’s support for the new approach cements its position as the new conservative