The Post Sentence Authority's 2019-20 Annual Report

The annual report provides information about the role, functions and activities of the Post Sentence Authority as well as a summary of the operation of the post sentence scheme.

Despite the onset of COVID-19, the Authority continued to operate without any interruption, and it maintained focus on protecting the community by rigorously monitoring and reviewing the behaviour, risks, compliance and progress of serious offenders who are subject to post sentence orders.

In her opening message, the Authority’s chair, Michele Williams KC, notes that the seamless transition to online service delivery by several agencies and service providers ensured that the objectives of the post sentence scheme could continue to be met.

The report details how the Authority carefully considers whether serious offenders are ready to transition from secure facilities to less restrictive forms of accommodation, and it outlines the challenges associated with serious violent offenders gaining access to appropriate accommodation. 

The report includes two case studies to articulate the effective operation of the post sentence scheme, as well as the implementation of the Authority’s new approach for inquiring into alleged contraventions of Supervision Orders by serious offenders, with Michele Williams KC stating that “the inquiry process is not about punishment, it is about determining risk of harm and then acting quickly to protect the community.”

A series of measures present the operation of the post sentence scheme. As at 30 June 2020, there were 142 serious offenders subject to a post sentence order. Of these offenders, 126 are serious sex offenders, 14 are serious violent offenders and two are both serious sex and serious violent offenders.

In 2019-20, the Authority convened 200 meetings to monitor and review these offenders, and it issued 287 directions, an increase of 8% from 2018-19, to offenders to help facilitate their effective management in the community. The Authority also conducted 69 interviews with 50 offenders to discuss compliance and rehabilitation progress against the conditions of their supervision orders.