Unfinished business: Koori women and the justice system Page 30

26 Unfinished business: Koori women and the justice system

In 2009 PricewaterhouseCoopers completed their
evaluation report on the Better Pathways Strategy.
Despite "noting significant limitations in relation to
the data due to the two year time lag in measuring
recidivism, the evaluation report was very positive
about the Better Pathways Strategy", noting "the
range of tailored community and transitional
support programs provided by Better Pathways
have kept women out of prison".

113

These included establishing two transitional
houses for Koori women on bail and the expansion
of the Aboriginal Women's Mentoring Program.

114

While important and very welcome initiatives, this
indicates a limited response to the unique needs
and experiences of Koori women in the face of an
escalation in prison population.

Closing the Gap Statement of Intent

In 2011 the Premier signed the Closing the
Gap Statement of Intent and so recommitted
the Victorian Government to the Closing the
Gap agenda. "In the Premier's outline of the
government's approach to Aboriginal affairs,
the commitments to closing the gap in health
outcomes connected to the need to close the gap
in a range of other areas, including justice".

115

Evaluation of AJA2

In 2011, AJA2 was independently evaluated. Key
findings of the evaluation were that:

· Koori over-representation in the criminal justice

system was still increasing, but would have
increased more without the AJA2

· there had been positive outcomes against all

objectives, but more remained to be done

· in monetary terms, the evaluators calculated

that the gross benefit to Victoria of the AJA2
was approximately $22-26 million in 2011,
representing a social return on investment of
between $1.66-1.93 for every dollar invested.

116

113

PricewaterhouseCoopers, Evaluation of the Better
Pathways Strategy Executive Summary and Report
Card (State of Victoria, Department of Justice, 2009).
<http://www.corrections.vic.gov.au/utility/publications+
manuals+and+statistics/evaluation+of+the+better+path
ways+strategy+-+executive+summary+and+report+ca
rd> at 4 July 2013.

114

State of Victoria, Department of Justice, `Better
Pathways', above n 109, 19, 26.

115

State of Victoria, Department of Justice, `AJA3', above n
15, 22.

116

Ibid 13-14.

The evaluation found that the rates of imprisonment
of Koori women had continued to increase,
overtaking rates for non-Koori men.

117

Despite this,

the evaluation found that limited resources and focus
had been directed to the needs of Koori women.

118

In particular, the evaluation found that there were
limited diversionary options available for Koori
women.

119

The evaluation described this gap

as a "key risk point in the system that could be
strengthened to reduce overrepresentation".

120

The evaluation put forward increased rates of
imprisonment and evidence that women respond
better to community-based programs as evidence
to support the need for these programs.

121

Whilst we have seen significant
improvements through our work on
AJA1 and AJA2 across the State, it is
clear we need to do a lot more in our
response to specific issues for our
women and to work with young women
in the prison system both pre and post-
release. But more importantly their
initial diversion.

122

Aboriginal Justice Agreement 3

Koori women and their interaction with the criminal
justice system, particularly the increase of Koori
women in prison, is the unfinished business of
the RCIADIC and ongoing work for the AJA and
the Koori community. Like AJA2, the AJA3 has
identified Koori women as a key focus area.

123

This research project completed by the
Commission is an initiative of the AJA3.

117

Nous Group, above n 25, 54.

118

Ibid 79.

119

Ibid 54.

120

Ibid 52.

121

Ibid 54.

122

State of Victoria, Department of Justice, `AJA3', above n
15, 4.

123

Ibid 102.