Financial sanctions and the justice system: Fine debts among New South Wales prisoners with a history of problematic substance use
| Author | Kristy Martire,Devon Indig,Sandra Sunjic,Libby Topp |
| Date | 01 August 2011 |
| DOI | 10.1177/0004865811405258 |
| Published date | 01 August 2011 |
| Subject Matter | Articles |
Australian & New Zealand
Journal of Criminology
44(2) 258–271
!The Author(s) 2011
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DOI: 10.1177/0004865811405258
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Article
Financial sanctions and the
justice system: Fine debts
among New South Wales
prisoners with a history of
problematic substance use
Kristy Martire
University of New South Wales, Australia
Sandra Sunjic
Justice Health, NSW, Australia
Libby Topp
University of New South Wales, Australia
Devon Indig
Justice Health, NSW, Australia
Abstract
Financial sanctions are considered a cost-beneficial alternative to incarceration for lesser
offences, but their use has limitations. This study investigates the debt burdens of a group
of offenders incarcerated in New South Wales (NSW), Australia, and assesses associations
with health and social functioning. Between October 2008 and June 2009, 156 participants of
a reintegration programme operating in NSW prisons (the Justice Health Connections
Project) completed face-to-face structured interviews concerning the nature, amount and
impact of their debts. Copies of participants’ NSW State Debt Recovery Office (SRDO)
records were also obtained. Ninety-five per cent of participants reported debt to the
SDRO. Participants who provided an estimate of their debt reported an average of
$12,161 owed to the SDRO, compared to their verifiable average of $8,854. Eighteen per
cent of participants with SDRO debt had incurred their earliest outstanding fine when they
were younger than 18 years old. Sixty-four per cent perceived their SDRO debt as stressful;
and 94 per cent reported that their debt was made worse by drugs (92%) and/or fine
enforcement actions (50%). Based on the average Australian pension income and repayments
of $15 per week, the average SDRO debt would take an ex-inmate 11 years to repay.
Corresponding author:
Kristy Martire, Research Fellow, NDARC, UNSW, Sydney NSW 5052, Australia
Email: k.martire@unsw.edu.au
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