Program Objectives

Establishing clear program objectives and stated purpose is identified as a good practice feature in some home detention research and practice reports.

Comparison:

Few jurisdictions document explicit program objectives in relevant home detention policy and procedures manuals. Neither is specific purpose cited in legislation in any jurisdiction, although overall purpose is implicit in some cases, eg, in the title of legislation governing home detention in the ACT.

HD program objectives and stated purpose

	explicit program aims/objectives	source
NSW	not explicitly stated in legislation or policy (the explanatory notes to Home Detention Bill 1966 state: “Home detention is intended to divert offenders from incarceration in prison”)
Vic ¹	“to divert carefully selected non-violent low risk offenders from prison and to assist with the reintegration and rehabilitation of eligible nonviolent minimum security prisoners back into the community”	Commissioner’s Requirement 17/2005
Qld	“the home detention program is intended to assist prisoners to reintegrate successfully into the community by providing additional support and vigilant surveillance during the initial resettlement period”	Appendix, Offender Management Procedures
SA	“fulfils the needs of the Government, Parole Board, Courts, offenders and their families, the community of South Australia and victims of crime by: providing a cost effective community based program as an alternative to imprisonment for sentenced and unsentenced offenders; assisting offenders to achieve behavioural changes by providing reintegration of offenders into the community; extending the Department’s capability to implement the philosophy of Throughcare by providing a further option to an offender’s case plan; providing offenders with the opportunity to improve family cohesion and function; acting as an incentive for offenders in prison; ensuring that special needs offenders are catered for and not discriminated against; contributing to the safety of the community by ensuring that court orders are administered; and limiting the adverse impacts of imprisonment.”	Mission statement, Home Detention Guidelines
ACT	not explicitly stated in legislation or policy (although the title of the Act introducing HD (Rehabilitation of Offenders) implies an offender rehabilitation purpose)
NT	not explicitly stated in legislation or policy
NZ	not explicitly stated in legislation or policy

1 Vic: the following principles are also documented for HD program planning, ongoing service development and service delivery: address the risk of re-offending and promote prospects for integration of offenders; at no time will the Program put any person, offender or otherwise, at deliberate risk through Program provision; Home Detention endeavours to address any specific concerns the Court or Adult Parole Board may have concerning individual offenders; services will incorporate a flexible and intensive approach according to the individual needs of the offender; the Program informs individuals of information that is relevant to them; offenders need to voluntarily commit to and accept the Program conditions in Order to ensure self-responsibility, relevance and effectiveness, all service standards will be set in conjunction with Corrections Victoria Standards and be subject to monitoring and evaluation appropriately. General program objectives guiding the operation of HD, although not explicitly cited as program objectives in HD specific program documentation, relate to diversion from prison, easing the transition to parole, and providing family support throughout the process (source: HD Unit Manager discussion).

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