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The Canberra Times
The Canberra Times
National
Lucy Bladen

ACT moves to reduce over-representation of First Nations people in justice system

Culturally appropriate programs aimed at reducing the over-representation of First Nations people in the ACT's justice system will be funded in the upcoming territory budget.

There will be $11.5 million spent over the next four years on the programs, which will be in partnership with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander organisations.

It will include funding for culturally appropriate support for First Nations people in police custody, the introduction of a one-on-one intensive case management program for a group of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander detainees and a program for First Nations people who find it difficult to obtain bail.

There will also be funding to increase the number of sitting days for the Galambany Sentencing Court. The court provides a culturally appropriate sentencing process for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander offenders.

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people make up less than 2 per cent of the territory's population but made up 24.4 per cent of detainees at the Alexander Maconochie Centre, the Productivity Commission's report on government services released earlier this year showed.

Attorney-General Shane Rattenbury said it was important to recognise the disadvantages and challenges facing the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community in administration justice.

"The ACT justice system is significantly more likely to arrest, prosecute and jail First Nations people than non-Indigenous people," he said.

"Many traditional justice system features are not designed with the needs of First Nations people in mind - whether it's not having any culturally appropriate support during police custody, or no alternative and culturally appropriate bail reporting options, or not being provided the opportunity to reconnect with family and community."

Mr Rattenbury said the programs funded in the budget had been developed through conversations with the community.

"Collectively these programs take steps to address the challenges faced by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people at the different stages of their experience with the justice system - at time of arrest, in the courts, while on community orders, while in detention and at the time of transition back to the community," he said.

The ACT budget will be handed down on August 2 by Chief Minister Andrew Barr.

"The government has heard the strong calls from the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community for additional support to address the over incarceration of First Nations people in the ACT," Mr Barr said.

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Attorney-General Shane Rattenbury said the programs funded in the budget had been developed through conversations with the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community. Picture: Sitthixay Ditthavong
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