The Royal Commission into Aboriginal Deaths in Custody emphasised the importance of pre-release and post-release support schemes in reducing rates of Aboriginal imprisonment.

Commonwealth Government

Prison to Work Report

This 2016 report described the concept of ‘throughcare’ in the following terms:

Prisoner throughcare projects provide comprehensive case management for a prisoner in the lead up to their release from prison and throughout their transition to life outside. Projects aim to make sure prisoners receive the services they need for successful rehabilitation into the community… Good throughcare ‘starts in custody well before walking out of the prison gate’, and provides hands on, intensive support, especially at the moment of release.

This definition emphasised the need for intervention, service coordination, and support at all critical stages, not just upon release. Throughcare programs typically provide intensive one-on-one rehabilitation, structured assessments, and individualised case plans starting before release and continuing in the community. These programs were said to be more effective for Aboriginal people when they were culturally competent, strength-based, and involved Aboriginal-controlled or ex-prisoner organisations.

This report prompted the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet to initiate a best-practice prisoner-through-care model.

Australian Law Reform Commission, Pathways to Justice

In 2018, Pathways to Justice: Inquiry into the Incarceration Rate of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples made 35 recommendations to Parliament aimed at addressing high incarceration rates among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and enhancing community safety.

Emphasising the importance of governments collaborating with Aboriginal organisations to reduce incarceration rates, the Australian Law Reform Commission (ALRC) recommended creating prison programs that address offending behaviours and prepare individuals for release. They proposed that local involvement be achieved through Aboriginal Justice Agreements, and justice reinvestment focused on tailored, community-specific solutions to address the root causes of incarceration.

Indigenous Justice Clearinghouse, Effective Throughcare Approaches

In response to the Pathways to Justice Inquiry finding that cycles of reoffending can arise when people are released from prison without support to transition into the community, the Indigenous Justice Clearinghouse published a brief titled ‘Effective Throughcare Approaches’.

The brief highlighted the need for culturally relevant throughcare programs that actively engage local Aboriginal communities and organisations from the outset. It pointed to existing community development initiatives and case studies, such as the Western Australia Fairbridge Bindjareb program, as models demonstrating the effectiveness of community participation. Such involvement was said to ensure that programs are tailored to the specific needs of Aboriginal people, enhancing their success and acceptance within the community when released from prison.

Victoria

Victorian Ombudsman, Investigation into the Rehabilitation and Reintegration of Prisoners in Victoria

In 2014-15, the Victorian Ombudsman investigated rehabilitation and transitional services for prisoners in Victoria. It was found that the data and research available on outcomes for those who left prison in Victoria was limited, as there has been ‘no comprehensive review of the post-release experience which could better inform planning and support programs for transition and release.’

The investigation noted that:

While Corrections Victoria funds post-release support for specific prisoners for a defined period of time, the needs of the majority of prisoners are met through accessing non-government organisations, the public health system and the support of family and friends.
In Victoria there is no medium security prison or a transition centre for women, and so there are fewer options for a staged transition through security levels to assist with preparation for release.

The Victorian Council of Social Service, submitted to the Ombudsman that:

For Aboriginal prisoners, pre-release programs should look at connecting prisoners with family and community for additional supports and making referrals to Aboriginal Community Controlled organisations for their ongoing services, if that individual prisoner wishes to use these.

Victorian Association for the Care and Resettlement of Offenders, Towards a Practice Framework for Throughcare Reintegration Programs

This report discusses the challenges faced by individuals after prison release, including unstable housing, unemployment, and psychological stress, which can contribute to recidivism. It highlights the mixed effectiveness of multi-modal reintegration programs that offer comprehensive support across areas like employment, housing, and substance abuse.

The paper found that the Corrections Victoria Reintegration Pathway framework, primarily based on the Risk-Need-Responsivity model, assesses criminogenic risks and needs but has limitations in guiding effective practice.

A new Reintegration Practice Framework was developed to address these issues, integrating desistance theory, the capability approach, and throughcare service design. This framework emphasises enhancing individuals' substantive freedoms through tailored support in various life domains, aiming to sustain desistance and improve overall freedom by aligning theoretical insights with practical interventions.

Outcomes

The Prison to Work Report and the Indigenous Justice Clearinghouse's 'Effective Throughcare Approaches’ brief both emphasise the importance of culturally relevant throughcare programs that engage Indigenous communities from the outset.

In Victoria, earlier programs like Bridging the Gap and the Correctional Services Employment Pilot focused on throughcare principles, aiming to provide comprehensive and culturally appropriate support for Aboriginal people. While their core ideas have been absorbed into newer reintegration initiatives such as the Koori Education, Training, and Employment Strategy and the Corrections Victoria Reintegration Pathway framework, there is limited evidence of their effectiveness, particularly in terms of reducing reoffending or improving post-release outcomes for Aboriginal people.