Annual Reports

Department of Justice

2002-2003: Work began on the development of an Indigenous justice agreement between the Government and peak Indigenous organisations (such as ATSIC  and NAJAC). The Agreement's Principles Statement will underpin a series of action plans developed in conjunction with government agencies. The target for the completion of the Agreement is for it to be signed in mid 2003-04.  Community participation in the justice system, including Indigenous communities becoming involved in the sentencing process, is a major strategy for the upcoming year, and the NT Law Reform Commission will look at Aboriginal customary law. 

2003-2004: Major achievements in this year included expansion of video conferencing facilities to remote communities, and a major project team was established to work towards the development of community justice, reintegration and diversion programs, including with Central Australian communities.  A review of the justice and social benefits to be gained by the use of video conferencing facilities in regional and remote communities was undertaken.  It was found that the greatest benefits were in relation to prisoner contact with families, court appearances of witnesses and defendants in custody, and bail applications from remote areas.  The recommendations will be considered and implemented, where appropriate, over coming years.  The majority of the recommendations of the Inquiry into Customary Law were accepted by Government, upon submission of the Commission's relevant report.

2004-2005: Major achievements in this year included the introduction of the Elders Program at Darwin and Alice Springs Correctional Centres, aimed at setting up a meaningful interface between offenders and communities with the ultimate aim of reintegrating offenders into their communities on release from prison.  An Indigenous Family Violence Program, delivered by Tangentyere Council at Alice Springs Correctional Centre and by Community Corrections staff at four Aboriginal communities was also established. The Community Court was trialed at Nhulunbuy and Darwin. 

2005-2006: Major achievements for this year include the expansion of the prison and community based Indigenous Family Violence Offender Program to further communities. The Program is successful, and re-offending numbers remain low.  Further work includes the continuation of the Elders Program, and the introduction of the first Aboriginal Interpreters Course to prisoners in partnership with Bachelor Institute and the NT Aboriginal Interpreter Service.  Further courses included an Indigenous Tertiary Preparation Course and a Crocodile Handling and Farming Course (to increase employment on Indigenous communities, and to give Indigenous men skills and the capacity to develop related enterprises on their communities). 

2006-2007: Future challenges and directions are identified as the implementation of initiatives in Closing the Gap, including an expansion of the Community Court program, additional Community Corrections officers, expansion of the Alcohol Court program, expansion of the Elders Visiting Program, expansion of sex offender treatment programs, expansion of the Indigenous Family Violence Offender Program, and reform of laws relating to bail and evidence and reform of the committal system.  In this year, the Community Court was expanded to further communities.

2007-2008: Community Courts and the Elders Visiting Program were expanded, and an Indigenous family violence offender program continued to be delivered on a number of communities.  Additional Community Probation and Parole positions were created to operate in remote areas for better supervision of offenders on community based court orders. A sex offender treatment program was delivered at Alice Springs Correctional Centre and plans were  made for the expansion of the existing program at Darwin Correctional Centre, as well as programs  for juveniles in detention, juveniles and adult offenders under supervision in the community and  services for convicted offenders who were victims of sexual abuse. The Alcohol Court (which commenced in Darwin and Alice Springs as a Closing the Gap initiative in 2006) was also expanded. A ‘sorry camp' was introduced at Alice Springs Correctional Centre to allow for funeral services to be
held there with the aim of reducing ‘payback' issues.  Prisoners of all classifications and their families are able to attend funeral services there.