Factors Associated with Breaches of Home Detention and Returns to Custody Post-Home Detention in South Australia

Abstract

In 2016, the South Australian Government proposed expanding the use of Home Detention (‘HD’) sentences. A key concern of government and community alike regarding HD sentences has to do with the eligibility of prisoners for the sanction and, more specifically, the likelihood that individuals serving HD sentences will pose a threat to public safety when they are serving their sentences in the community. The aim of the current study was to establish baseline empirical evidence about: (a) the profile of prisoners serving HD sentences in the state; (b) factors associated with breaches of HD sentences; and (c) the nature and extent of reoffending by prisoners serving HD sentences. The sample consists of a cohort of prisoners released to HD in South Australia between June 2014 and June 2015 who were followed until June 2017. The results show that the most robust predictors of breaches of HD orders and returns to custody were risk assessments while prisoners were in custody. Furthermore, prisoners convicted of violent offences who received a HD sentence were less likely to return to custody compared to those who committed non-violent offences. Finally, the vast majority of offences for which prisoners returned to custody following a HD order were administrative offences.