Helping prisoners find a home when they’re released | 7.30

Key Concepts

• Domestic Violence
• Homelessness (Ex-Prisoner Homelessness)
• Housing Instability
• Rental Vacancy Rates
• Social Housing Waitlist
• Reintegration
• Recidivism Rate
• Parole Conditions
• "Beyond the Wire" Program
• Public Housing

The Critical Role of Stable Housing for Ex-Prisoners The transcript highlights the profound impact of stable housing on the successful reintegration of ex-prisoners into society, particularly in Tasmania, where a severe housing crisis exacerbates existing challenges. It argues that secure accommodation is not merely a basic need but a fundamental prerequisite for reducing crime, improving mental health, and fostering community safety.

The Personal Impact: Carly Watkins' Journey Carly Watkins' story exemplifies the struggles faced by ex-prisoners without stable housing and the transformative power of support programs.

• Struggle with Instability: After experiencing domestic violence in 2015, Carly turned to drugs, leading to crime and imprisonment. Upon release, she faced the stark choice of living with her parents, which strained their relationship, or sleeping in her car. This lack of stability created an "ongoing cycle of trying to survive," often leading back to crime and re-incarceration. Even after her daughter Ella was born, moving into a women's shelter, while appreciated, significantly impacted her mental health.
• The Turning Point: "Beyond the Wire": Carly found long-term housing through the "Beyond the Wire" program and the crucial support of her caseworker, Ian. She states, "Without it, I I probably would still be stuck there," emphasizing the program's critical role in helping her "get out of the system."
• Life with Secure Housing: With a home, Carly can now "just be a mom," enjoy her children, and appreciate "the little things that people... take for granted." This stability allows her to focus on future goals, such as getting back into work and regaining her driver's license, signifying a return to "the real world."

Tasmania's Housing Crisis and its Effect on Ex-Prisoners Tasmania faces an acute housing crisis that disproportionately affects vulnerable populations, including ex-prisoners.

• Severe Housing Shortage: Housing has "never been harder to find" in Tasmania. Rental vacancy rates in cities are less than 1%, and the social housing waitlist is at its longest ever. Even individuals deemed a priority are waiting over 18 months for a home.
• Ex-Prisoners at a Disadvantage: Those released from prison are placed at the "bottom of the weight list," making secure housing virtually impossible to obtain independently. It is estimated that about half of Tasmania's prison population is released into some form of homelessness. The transcript underscores that it is "very difficult to meet society's expectations of what we might call a normal life if you don't have a roof over your head."

Support Programs and Their Limitations While some support exists, dedicated programs for ex-prisoners are scarce and under-resourced.

• General Assistance: Prisoners can access a general housing assistance service 30 weeks before their release.
• The "Beyond the Wire" Program: A Dedicated Effort: This program, jointly funded by the Salvation Army and the Justice Department, is one of the only initiatives specifically dedicated to helping ex-prisoners with housing and reintegration.
  • Capacity: It operates with only three staff members, aiming to work with approximately 45 people per year.
  • Resources: The program has only 12 properties available to house these 45 individuals.
  • Program Challenges and Bottlenecks: A significant "problem in the program" is the inability to help someone find secure accommodation before addressing their "other challenges," creating a bottleneck that limits its effectiveness.

The Broader Societal Impact: Parole, Recidivism, and Community Safety The lack of stable housing has far-reaching consequences, impacting parole decisions, recidivism rates, and overall community safety.

• Housing as a Barrier to Parole: In the last financial year, 22% of applications for parole were adjourned because the applicant lacked secure or suitable accommodation. The parole board is reluctant to release individuals into the community without stable housing, as "unstable housing is a factor that can really impact someone's ability to comply with parole conditions." This means a lack of housing can prolong incarceration even if other parole criteria are met.
• High Recidivism Rates in Tasmania: Tasmania's recidivism rate is 51%, the second highest in Australia, behind the Northern Territory. This high rate is strongly linked to the lack of post-release support, particularly housing.
• Research Findings: The Benefits of Housing Assistance: Patrick Burton, co-author of a report on outcomes for ex-prisoners, found a "big discrepancy" between those who received housing assistance and those who didn't. Individuals given public housing experienced "dramatic decreases in their involvement with their police and crime and criminalization and of course reincarceration." This research provides strong evidence that investing in housing programs leads to "less crime," "less victims," and ultimately, a "safer community."

Government Response and Future Outlook Despite clear evidence of the benefits, government commitment to funding prisoner housing programs remains limited.

• The state government has not committed any more funding for prisoner housing programs.
• The corrections minister acknowledges that "more can be done" and expresses a desire to "support the rehabilitation and efforts in the community going forward," but concrete actions or funding increases are not specified.

Conclusion: The Indispensable Link Between Housing and Successful Reintegration The transcript powerfully illustrates that secure and stable housing is a critical, often overlooked, component of successful rehabilitation and reintegration for ex-prisoners. Without it, individuals like Carly Watkins are trapped in a cycle of instability, crime, and re-incarceration, impacting their mental health, family life, and the safety of the broader community. The data from Tasmania, including high recidivism rates and parole adjournments due to housing issues, coupled with research demonstrating the positive impact of housing assistance, underscores an urgent need for increased investment and dedicated programs to address this fundamental challenge.