Page 523 - Week 02 - Wednesday, 15 February 2017
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is to say, the offence type is more serious. Another is that the increase in the rate of female incarceration is due to an increase in the numbers of women coming before the courts who have previously been imprisoned, perhaps indicative of compounded intergenerational disadvantage. We may be seeing an increasing rate of recidivism amongst female detainees.
However, the respected criminologist Don Weatherburn from the New South Wales Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research more recently stated that he believes, “The growth in female imprisonment is almost entirely due to increased policing and increased toughness on the part of the courts.” For myself, I cannot say with any certainty what is driving these increases in the ACT specifically, but I cannot imagine there is anything unique. What may well differ, and what I will speak to now, is what we are doing about it in the short, medium and long term. I think what we do take from that is that nobody is quite clear what is driving this pattern. There are clearly some different views around as to what it might be. Hopefully, that will be an area that we will see further work on fairly quickly.
But in terms of the AMC, AMC accommodation capacity for women has emerged as a significant pressure in the past 12 months. I draw to the attention of members that the AMC was built with 29 beds designated for women, which includes five beds designated as the women’s high-needs cottage. The demand for accommodation for women remanded and serving custodial sentences has steadily increased since the AMC was opened.
In the 2009-10 financial year, the average number of women at the AMC was 15. This increased to 19 in the 2014-15 financial year. Since 30 January 2015 the number of women has increased from 22 to a high of 32 in August 2016. Presently there are arrangements within the AMC which can facilitate the safe and appropriate accommodation of women separate from men with numbers at or just above capacity.
That said, I and the government acknowledge that going forward this is unsustainable. I can assure the Assembly and Mrs Jones that ACT Corrective Services are currently exploring options to provide additional accommodation for women at the AMC.
While acknowledging that the situation is not ideal, I can, however, inform the Assembly that the heightened numbers have not stopped access to programs or education for women. The delivery and availability of these services has been consistent. Women have their own space at the AMC for programs.
Women detainees at the AMC demonstrate unique and complex behavioural and criminogenic needs. Many come from lives in the community where they have been victims of crimes themselves. They have in many cases experienced trauma and exploitation. Some of the women at the AMC have poor literacy and levels of education. Many, of course, have struggled with addictions. Often these women have poor health and wellbeing and face difficulties in managing conflict.
They may have children involved in the care and protection system and, sadly, be themselves foster children. The AMC certainly avails women of a range of rehabilitation programs and educational opportunities. Programs are targeted at
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