INTERSTATE COMPARISONS OF PRISON ESCAPE AND OFFENSE RATES, AND THE COMPARATIVE COSTS OF IMPRISONMENT AUSTRALIA

• NCJ Number: 61598
• Author(s): M K ROOK; M DEMETRIOUS
• Date Published: 1977
• Length: 32 pages
• Corporate Author: Victoria Social Welfare Dept
• Sale Source: National Institute of Justice/
• Publication Type: Report (Study/Research)
• Language: English
• Country: Australia
• Note: POLICY AND PLANNING UNIT OCCASIONAL PAPER NO 1

Annotation

INTERSTATE COMPARISONS OF PRISON ESCAPE RATES, OFFENSE RATES, AND COSTS ARE MADE AMONG AUSTRALIAN STATES, NOTING THE DIFFICULTY IN OBTAINING COMPARABLE DATA.

Abstract

TO PRODUCE VALID COMPARISONS OF ESCAPE RATES, A THREE CATEGORY SYSTEM OF CLASSIFYING ESCAPES INTO FORCED ESCAPES, ABSCONDING, AND FAILURE TO REPORT OR RETURN SHOULD BE DEVELOPED. IN THE STATE OF VICTORIA, REPORTS INDICATE A DECLINING PRISON POPULATION, A FLUCTUATING IN-PRISON OFFENSE RATE, BUT AN ESCAPE RATE TRIPLING BETWEEN 1967 AND 1977. ALTHOUGH DIFFERENCES AMONG THE STATES IN DEFINING PRISONER POPULATION, AND IN COUNTING AND DEFINING OFFENSES MAKE COMPARISONS DIFFICULT; IN 1974-1975, ESCAPE RATES PER 100 MAN-YEARS OF IMPRISONMENT RANGED FROM 2.19 IN SOUTH AUSTRALIA TO 11.78 IN WEST AUSTRALIA. THE WEIGHTED AVERAGE OFFENSE RATE IN PRISONS WAS 53.24 PER 100 MAN-YEARS. ANNUAL EXPENDITURES INCLUDE SALARIES AND PERSONNEL TRAINING, MAINTENANCE, RESEARCH, AND OTHER PRISONER-RELATED ACTIVITIES. ANNUAL NONBUILDING EXPENSES PER PRISONER VARIED FROM $10,536.00 IN WEST AUSTRALIA TO $7,246 IN VICTORIA; NONBUILDING EXPENDITURES PER CITIZEN VARIED FROM $8.89 IN WEST AUSTRALIA TO $3.11 IN VICTORIA. OUTLAYS FOR BUILDINGS, PRISONER PRODUCTION, AND TOTAL EXPENDITURES ARE ALSO DISCUSSED. TABULAR DATA ARE INCLUDED. (PAP)