South Australia has emerged as a leader among Australian states, with the highest police per capita presence and the lowest rate of recidivist offending, according to the 2022-23 Report on Government Services.
The report revealed that the South Australia Police (SAPOL) has 238 operational sworn staff per 100,000 people. This figure not only surpasses the national average by 8% but also represents the highest ratio in the country. Complementing this police presence is a remarkable public approval rating, with 78.8% of South Australians satisfied with SAPOL’s services, well above the national average of 73.9%.
Further enhancing South Australia’s law enforcement credentials is the state’s exemplary record in reducing repeat offending. The report indicates that only 36.9% of individuals return to corrective services with a new sanction within two years of release, a figure significantly lower than the national average of 51.7%. This achievement is supported by the Department for Correctional Services’ (DCS) nation-leading initiatives in prisoner rehabilitation. A remarkable 48.3% of DCS prisoners are engaged in education and training programs, nearly double the national rate of 25.8%.
These achievements follow the success of the “10by20” target set by the former Correctional Services Minister, Peter Malinauskas, in 2016, which aimed to reduce reoffending by 10% by 2020. Not only has this target been achieved, but current Correctional Services Minister Joe Szakacs has now ambitiously set a new goal, “20by26”, aiming for a 20% reduction in reoffending by 2026.
Last year’s State Budget under the Malinauskas Government committed over $12 million to an accelerated police recruitment course. This initiative aims to add 900 new police officers over three years, along with 189 police security officers. In line with this, an international recruitment drive is underway, with the first information sessions for experienced officers from the UK, Ireland, and New Zealand conducted earlier this month.
Minister Joe Szakacs, in his comments on the report, underscored the dual strategy of strengthening police forces while reducing reoffending. “This report shows that our plan to get more police officers on the beat is working, and we’re committed to recruiting 300 more each year over three years,” he stated.
He also emphasized the broader impact of reducing recidivism. “We’re also committed to reducing recidivist offending, which not only causes harm and trauma within our community but also places a significant strain on our police, courts, and corrections resources and a large financial cost,” Szakacs added.
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