Evaluation of SA Home Detention: research report 1 (baseline analysis)

Abstract

In December 2016, the South Australian Department for Correctional Services (DCS) commissioned a team of researchers from the Social Policy Research Centre (SPRC) and the School of Social Sciences (SoSS) at UNSW Sydney (the University of New South Wales) to undertake an evaluation of Home Detention (HD) in South Australia (SA). The evaluation aims to examine the impact that recent legislative and program changes have had on: • Offender return to custody rates; • Forecast prisoner and offender growth; • Government expenditure on correctional services; • Victim and community safety and wellbeing; • Those involved in supervising and implementing HISSP/IHISSP; and • Offenders affected by the changes including those subject to HD and their families. This report outlines the progress made to date in the evaluation and presents the findings from a baseline analysis of DCS administrative data; as well as interviews conducted with key stakeholders.