First Nations rehabilitation programs aren’t keeping people out of prison. Here’s what would help

There are unprecedented numbers of First Nations people in prisons. In Australia, 37% of adults and 60% of young people aged 10 17 behind bars are First Nations, despite making up 3. 2% of the Australian population respectively. There were 19 898 people released from Australian prisons between October and December 2025. In 2025, 60% of people in prison had been previously imprisoned. For First Nations people, the figure is 78%. These statistics demonstrate that prisons are not living