VCOSS welcomes bipartisan shift on justice Justice and Human Rights

VCOSS welcomes bipartisan shift on justice

VCOSS is applauding a shift towards bipartisanship on the traditional political battleground of ‘law and order’.

In recent days we have seen both major parties decry the phenomenal growth of Victoria’s prison population.

Both have acknowledged that simply locking up people—especially people who haven’t been convicted of a crime—isn’t the answer.

All the evidence shows this approach doesn’t stop crime and it doesn’t make us safer.

It just destroys more lives by throwing an increasing number of people into the quicksand of the prison system.

VCOSS is pleased the Corrections Minister, Ben Carroll, has demonstrated leadership by flagging a review of the Corrections Act, and that the State Opposition is supporting this move.

The recently launched Crime Prevention Taskforce—with representatives from sport, the community sector, media and business—is another demonstration of this fresh approach.

Only when we drop the ‘tough on crime‘ rhetoric and place the pursuit of outcomes above political advantage will we begin to make a difference.

VCOSS is committed to working with both sides of politics—and our partners across the community sector—to achieve this positive change.

—Emma King

 

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