Northern Territory elders are pushing for reintegration programs on country to be formally factored into parole conditions for Indigenous inmates.

Beswick elder, Peter Lindsay is one of many, apart of an elders program that regularly visits Aboriginal males inside Darwins Correctional Centre.

The elder program aims build relationships with the inmates, providing culturally friendly support and helps to reduce re offending rates.

Mr Lindsay says most inmates are not ready to re-enter society when they complete their prison sentences, he would like to see the men return to country before going back to their families to better prepare them for society.

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders make up 27% of the Australian prison population despite making up 3% of the population, in Darwin’s Correctional Centre Indigenous inmates are outnumbered 13 to 1.

 

 

(IMAGE:Stefan Ulrich Fischer)