Nearly half of Queensland prisoners end up back behind bars: report
Overcrowded and underfunded Queensland prisons are failing to effectively rehabilitate inmates and reintegrate them into society; nearly half return to prison within two years of release.
The prison population in Queensland has increased by 54 per cent in the past decade, according to a report from the auditor general released on Tuesday.
The report found that 13 of the state’s 20 correctional facilities were detaining more people than originally intended.
Queensland Auditor General Rachel Vagg said a growing prison population, combined with funding and resourcing constraints, was impacting the effectiveness of rehabilitation programs needed to help prisoners address the root causes of their disruptive behavior before release.
“More inmates means more demand for available programs and services,” Vagg said.
“If not managed effectively, it can impact access to programs, education and training, and employment opportunities that are essential to effective rehabilitation and successful transition to society.”
Opportunities for inmates to receive specialized case management have also been impacted by the state’s growing prison population.
“Without risk assessment and case management in all centres, [Queensland Corrective Services] Vagg said he can’t ensure that inmates have access to the right number and type of programs and services at the right time.
Vagg said the QCS, which oversees prison programs generally, did not effectively plan and facilitate the rehabilitation or reintegration of inmates.
That failure led to 44 percent of inmates released statewide in 2022-23 being taken back into custody within two years.
First Nations prisoners, who make up 40 per cent of Queensland’s prison population despite making up less than five per cent of the state’s population, were returned to custody at higher rates than non-First Nations people.
“Although the QCS requires its staff to assess the safety and security risks of prisoners, it does not consistently assess their rehabilitation and reintegration risks and needs,” Vagg said.
“This impacts QCS’s ability to understand inmate groups and their risks and needs within prisons. It also impacts the ability to effectively manage inmates and prioritize programs and services across the system.”
Inmate programs target a range of crimes, including sexual offenses and domestic and family violence.
Despite more than 11,200 people being incarcerated in June last year, only 1,600 inmates completed the rehabilitation program between 2020-21 and 2024-25.
More than 1,000 inmates were on the waiting list for rehabilitation programs in March, and people were waiting an average of one year and four months to access services, Vagg said. Approximately 5,800 people were waiting to access welfare programs.
Less than half of all Queensland prisoners leaving prison receive pre-release support, including individualized plans and help accessing services such as housing or employment.
Vagg recommended that QCS strengthen planning and oversight of prison programs, implement a case management delivery model, and improve data collection and management.
QCS Commissioner Paul Stewart accepted all the recommendations and acknowledged that the state’s growing prison population was impacting on services.
“As noted in the report, QCS delivers these rehabilitation and reintegration services in a complex and high-demand environment where the inmate population has increased significantly over the past decade, placing continued pressure on infrastructure, workforce and service delivery,” Stewart said.
“Infrastructure delivery, including the completion and commissioning of the 1,624-bed Lockyer Valley Prison in September 2025, has provided capacity in the short term.
“Work is also underway to increase capacity across the correctional system, including the provision of 800 beds at Townsville and Arthur Gorrie correctional centers and 600 additional beds at Queensland correctional centres.”
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