Submission to the Queensland Productivity Commission's Inquiry into Imprisonment and Recidivism (on Circles of Support and Accountability)

This Submission relates primarily to the Inquiry area ‘Preventing Recidivism’, and more specifically to the issue of ‘post-prison support’. It provides evidence about the efficacy of one innovative post-prison reintegration measure for sex offenders - ‘Circles of Support and Accountability’ - and argues that given the effectiveness of this measure, consideration should be given to its implementation in Queensland. This is especially critical given that the period immediately following the release of high-risk sex offenders from prison into the community carries the highest risk of reoffending (Hanson, Harris, Helmus, & Thornton, 2014)