According to the NSW Treasury Indigenous Expenditure Report 2023-24, in 2021-22 the NSW Government is estimated to have spent $1.4 billion on First Nations people for services related to the criminal justice system. In June 2025, there were 4,386 First Nations adults in custody in NSW, representing 33.4% of the adult prison population, the highest number ever recorded. Of young people in custody, 60.7% were First Nations as of June 2025. 

This audit will assess whether Corrective Services NSW and Youth Justice NSW effectively and efficiently provide supports, programs and opportunities for the rehabilitation of First Nations peoples in custody and post release to reduce reoffending.  In doing so, we will address the following lines of inquiry: 

1. Have agencies established effective governance and accountability arrangements to ensure First Nations people are effectively supported in custody, upon and post release?  
2. Do agencies effectively plan and design relevant supports, programs and opportunities for rehabilitation of First Nations peoples in custody, upon and post release?
3. Do agencies effectively and efficiently deliver and continuously improve relevant supports, programs and opportunities for rehabilitation of First Nations people in custody, upon and post release? 

The Audit Office is required by section 38 of the Government Sector Audit Act to keep information obtained during an audit confidential and the Audit Office takes its responsibilities under these sections very seriously.   

All information that the Audit Office receives, and working papers that the Audit Office creates during an audit, are classed as excluded information in Schedule 2 of the Government Information (Public Sector) Act 2009 (GIPA Act). An access application under the GIPA Act cannot be made for excluded information. 

For more information on our confidentiality obligations, please visit Our confidentiality and reporting obligations for contributions page.

If you have questions or comments about individual matters, you can:

• contact Corrective Services NSW online or by calling (02) 8346 1333
• contact Youth Justice NSW online or by calling (02) 8346 1333
• make a complaint about a NSW government agency to the NSW Ombudsman online or by calling 1800 451 524
• make a complaint about corruption to the Independent Commission Against Corruption online or by calling 02 8281 5999.