Magnitude of the Problem
The majority of people in prison carry deep scars of trauma. Behind every statistic is a person who was never given the chance to heal, to feel safe, or to build a life outside of survival.
Childhood Sexual Abuse in Australia
One in six women and one in nine men report sexual abuse before the age of 15. These harms don’t disappear with time, they shape futures. For too many, unhealed trauma leads to struggles with trust, safety, and stability, and increases the likelihood of contact with the justice system.
When Trauma Meets Incarceration
The link between early trauma and incarceration is well-documented. Research shows that 65–70% of people in Australian prisons were sexually or physically abused as children, and around 85% have experienced abuse or complex trauma. For many, prison does not provide safety or healing - it compounds the harm.
People are often released carrying both the scars of their past and the added trauma of incarceration, only to face stigma, social exclusion, and barriers to housing, employment, and health care. Without the right support, these challenges make it even harder to break free from the cycle of reoffending.
First Nations and Torres Strait Islander Overrepresentation
First Nations and Torres Strait Islander peoples make up just 3.8% of Australia’s population, yet represent 36% of those behind bars. This stark overrepresentation reflects the deep impacts of colonisation, intergenerational trauma, systemic racism, and ongoing injustice.
Despite these realities, many of the programs and supports within the criminal justice system are not developed with, or for, First Nations communities. When cultural knowledge and lived experience are missing, services fail to meet people’s needs and, too often, cause further harm. The lack of culturally safe, community-led support only exacerbates the problem, leaving many First Nations people without the pathways to healing and reintegration they deserve.
Disability and Injustice
People with disabilities are disproportionately represented in Australia’s prisons. Around 39% of people in custody live with a disability, despite only making up 18% of the wider population. Many enter prison without ever having received the right diagnosis, treatment, or support.
Inside the justice system, these barriers often grow worse. People with disability face higher risks of abuse, neglect, and isolation, while struggling to access services that could help. On release, the challenges continue. From discrimination in housing and employment to navigating complex support systems like the NDIS.
This cycle is not a reflection of individual failure, but of systemic neglect. Without culturally safe, trauma-informed, and accessible support, people with disabilities remain trapped in disadvantage and at greater risk of reoffending.
The Financial Cost of Imprisonment
Each year, Australia spends over $6.3 billion on prisons. That is more than $153,000 per person, per year. These are funds poured into punishment, not healing. Imagine if even a fraction of that investment went into housing, mental health, and trauma-informed reintegration programs. We could break the cycle, save lives, and save billions.
