Report authors, dean of Swinburne University’s law school Mirko Bagaric, and IPA director of research Morgan Begg, said there were around 14,000 prisoners who were doing time for non-violent and non-sexual offences.
“Diverting low-risk, non-violent offenders from prison and giving them the opportunity to work would enhance their lives and prospects, promote community safety, improve the economy through increased productivity and reduce net government spending and debt,” they said.
“If Australian governments reformed sentencing so that non-violent, low-risk offenders were not detained at taxpayers’ expense, but rather were put to work in industries which urgently need workers, this could deliver substantial benefits to taxpayers without compromising community safety.”
While the report found most prisoners did not hold tertiary qualifications, many job vacancies were available in hospitality and retail where formal education wasn’t required.
Prisoners would work for 40 hours a week for between six months to three years and would receive the award payment.
Mr Begg told the ABC offenders would have to undergo a regular recruiting process and businesses would have the choice to participate in the program.
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