Beyond Bars: Exploring Challenges and Solutions to the Problem of Short Custodial Stays in Regional South Australia

• In Event: Reintegration & Desistance

Abstract

The issue of short custodial stays has long challenged criminal justice systems globally, with ongoing criticism regarding their efficacy and unintended consequences. Despite the prevalence of short custodial stays, there is limited analysis of this issue within Australia, particularly in regional communities, where many prisons are located.
In an Australian first, and in partnership with not-for-profit Centacare Catholic Country South Australia, the Centre for Social Impact at Flinders University’s Beyond Bars project analysed the problem of short custodial stays in two regional communities that house prisons. The focus on regional communities was deliberate and motivated by knowledge that regional communities often face unique challenges such as geographic isolation; limited access to health and social supports; path-dependent economies and associated job-insecurity.
Through quantitative analysis of custodial data and qualitative stakeholder roundtables, this presentation will explore the scale and nature of short custodial stays in the study sites, identify challenges related to local social and health services provision, and proposes more effective approaches to improve policy and practice.
Key findings reveal that 80.2% of custodial stays in the studied prisons involved durations of six months or less, with a high frequency of releases and significant demographic differences between short and long custodial stays.
Stakeholders highlighted numerous challenges, including the lack of support for short custodial stay cohorts, unpredictability of remand, and the complexity of needs exacerbated by the system response. Recommendations include the establishment of outside-the-gate step-down transitional accommodation, a social services and health hub, and wayfinding champions to bridge gaps in siloed service provision.
This research underscores the need for targeted interventions and structural changes to mitigate the harms associated with short custodial stays, ultimately benefiting individuals exiting prison and the communities in which they reside.

Authors

• Jenna Mizzi, Flinders University

• Caitlin Hughes, Flinders University

• Mark Halsey, Flinders University

• Ian Goodwin-Smith, Flinders University

• Simone Deegan, Flinders University

• Jen Cleary, CentaCare Catholic Country South Australia & Flinders University