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MaryWat · 70-79, F
@Robynthebeautiful I don't want to get into a debate with you, as I agree that aboriginal incarceration rates are appallingly high compared with the non-aboriginal population. But your comment needs huge qualification. In recent years all jurisdictions have gone out of their way to avoid custodial sentences for the trivial matters you would be referring to. This has been especially so within aboriginal communities, recognising that many are deprived and often verging on dysfunctional.
The major problem causing high aboriginal incarceration rates is recidivism, where raps on the knuckles, cautions, and counselling have proved useless: the offender keeps on offending to the point where -useless though it may be in the long term - taking the offender off the streets for a little while is at least to society's benefit.
Two other contributing features are the acknowledged high rate of violence in aboriginal communities. I am not debating the cause. But no one disputes that reality. And of course, there is alcohol, a problem in itself, but also the underlying cause of much violence, and mental health issues.
None of this is a pretty picture, and the causes of the problems are many and well understood. But there is no evidence that an aboriginal, committing a minor offence for the first time, is any more likely to be incarcerated than his white, yellow, pink, blue or rainbow neighbour.
The major problem causing high aboriginal incarceration rates is recidivism, where raps on the knuckles, cautions, and counselling have proved useless: the offender keeps on offending to the point where -useless though it may be in the long term - taking the offender off the streets for a little while is at least to society's benefit.
Two other contributing features are the acknowledged high rate of violence in aboriginal communities. I am not debating the cause. But no one disputes that reality. And of course, there is alcohol, a problem in itself, but also the underlying cause of much violence, and mental health issues.
None of this is a pretty picture, and the causes of the problems are many and well understood. But there is no evidence that an aboriginal, committing a minor offence for the first time, is any more likely to be incarcerated than his white, yellow, pink, blue or rainbow neighbour.
