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 2024, there were 4,039 Aboriginal adults in custody in NSW, representing 31.3% of the adult prison population, the highest number ever recorded. Of young people in custody, 58.7% were Aboriginal as of June 2024. 

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 recidivism.  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 deliver and continuously improve relevant supports, programs and opportunities for rehabilitation of First Nations people in custody, upon and post release? 

If you have experiences or views relevant to the audit scope, you can share them with the Audit Office. This can be done anonymously if you wish. 

Please note that the audit mailbox will be open to receive submissions until close of business on Monday 30 June 2025. 

You can provide feedback on this audit either through the ‘contribute to this audit’ button in the left hand menu (or the comment icon on top right for mobile), by email, or phone on 02 9275 7100. 

We may use your feedback to identify key themes, risks or issues which may then be further investigated during the audit. In some instances, we may use extracts of contributions in our audit report as examples of feedback provided where appropriate. If we use extracts of a contribution, we will not identify the source in the report. 

However, please note: 

• We will not examine individual matters, nor can we investigate all issues or concerns raised. Please see the contact details listed below for relevant contacts. In general, the audit team will look for supporting evidence from other sources (such as documentation, data and audit interviews). 
• We will not share your feedback with any party, including the audited agencies and councils, nor do we publish feedback on our website. 
• While we will consider all feedback provided, we may not contact you to discuss. 
• We are not able to answer questions or provide information collected during the course of the audit. 
• Performance audits focus on assessing whether public money is spent efficiently, effectively, economically and in compliance with the law. The Auditor-General is not permitted to question the merits of government policy objectives. Please visit the Performance audit guide for audited entities (including non-public sector entities) for more information on how we undertake performance audits.
   

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. 

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.

Click here for more information on our confidentiality and reporting obligations for submissions received via our website.