Australia's jail population hits record high after 20-year surge Read moreThe ballooning incarceration rate has filled the state’s prison system to breaking point. Western Australia, Queensland, South Australia, the Australian Capital Territory, and Victoria have all embarked on prison building or expansion programs. Baldry says prison overcrowding is a product of failed political leadership, and shows governments are unable to withstand the populist compulsion to incarcerate and appear tough on crime. In 2015-16, 44.6% of all Australian prisoners returned to jail within two years of release. In some cases, the consequences of prison overcrowding can be disastrous.

Source: The Guardian December 28, 2017 19:52 UTC