51³Ô¹Ïapp

In response to an increase in prisoner population, the South Australian government introduced legislation in February and September 2016 to expand the use of home detention. It funded the implementation of a support service for those subject to home detention.

Home detention is a corrective services program requiring offenders to be subject to supervision and monitoring while confined to their place of residence or a place other than a prison. It aims to sanction offenders, ensure community safety and positively change offender behaviour.  

South Australia has also funded a wraparound support program – the Home Detention Integrated Support Service Program (HISSP). The individually tailored program seeks to address the causes of offending and support the person’s successful rehabilitation and reintegration into society.

The South Australian Department for Correctional Services commissioned a team of researchers from UNSW Sydney to evaluate Home Detention in South Australia, commencing in January 2017.  

The evaluation aimed to examine the impact of recent legislative and program changes have had on:

• offenders affected by the changes and their families
• those involved in implementing the programs
• offender return to custody rates 
• government expenditure on correctional services.