Penality and Imprisonment in Australia (From Comparing Prison Systems: Toward a Comparative and International Penology, P 367-400, 1998, Robert P. Weiss, Nigel South, eds. - See NCJ-178009)

• NCJ Number: 178017
• Author(s): David Brown
• Date Published: 1998
• Length: 34 pages
• Sale Source: Gordon and Breach Publishers
• Publication Format: Book (Softbound)
• Publication Type: Issue Overview
• Language: English
• Country: Netherlands
• Note: International Studies in Global Change: Vol. 8

Annotation

This chapter describes Australian prison systems and compares them with systems in other countries.

Abstract

The chapter outlines historical trends in imprisonment rates and presents data on current rates, backgrounds of prisoners and other basic statistical and empirical information. It singles out two key features of Australian imprisonment: the considerable State-by-State variation, and the overrepresentation of Aboriginal people in prison. Australia has no Federal prison system. Defendants indicted under Federal legislation are tried by state courts exercising commonwealth jurisdiction and if convicted are imprisoned in state-run prisons. There are thus not one but seven different Australian prison systems. The chapter also includes a brief discussion of current issues such as developments in privatization and sentencing directions, and an overview of trends in penal politics in recent decades against a backdrop of broader political developments and shifts in discourses of penality. Table, references