Every year, hundreds of Australian prisoners leave prison and return to society with the hope of living a normal life. Largely uneducated, often without any family/ friend support, and with the stigma of a prison record hanging over them, many if not most will experience serious social and psychological problems after release. The great majority find their way into life of crime and are rearrested, most within six months of their release. Their social exclusion threatens the very society their imprisonment was meant to protect. How do we balance public safety against the welfare of criminals?
