The Federal Government recently announced that they will cease
funding the Aboriginal Legal Services' Prisoner ThroughCare
program, effective as of 30 June 2014. The purpose of the program,
which was implemented at the recommendation of the Royal Commission
into Aboriginal Deaths in Custody, is to reduce Aboriginal
imprisonment rates by providing those leaving prison with
"support", and assisting with their "rehabilitation
and their return to families and communities."
Explaining the Government's decision to axe the program that
costs $500,000 annually, Minister Scullion said "In a
competitive funding environment, the reports indicated the service
was not delivering strong enough outcomes on the ground to warrant
further government investment".
