Description

This study measures the rate of re-offending on parole in NSW, identifies the predictors of both general and violent offending on parole and describes the types of offences committed on parole. The analysis was based on 9,604 mostly male offenders, including 3,537 Indigenous offenders, released on parole in 2010 or 2011. Findings included that: 60.8% of parolees neither re-offended nor were re-imprisoned during their parole period; 28.4% of the sample re-offended on parole; and 10.8% were re-imprisoned on parole without having first re-offended. Parolees were more likely to offend on parole if they were male; Indigenous; young; had spent less than 180 days in prison (during the current episode); had a higher Level of Service Inventory – Revised score had a non drug offence as their principal offence; had six or more prior court appearances, had been imprisoned before; or had a prior conviction for drug use and/or possession. The study concludes that offending on parole is less common than previous studies have suggested.