Plan to reduce indigenous imprisonment

Soaring imprisonment rates and a massive over-representation of indigenous people in jail is costing Australia hundreds of millions of dollars a year.

(File: AAP)

Now a school of thinking is emerging that says that money may be better used on prevention, rather than punishment.

The concept, known as Justice Reinvestment, was touted by former Aboriginal Social Justice Commissioner Tom Calma in his annual report in 2009.

It's an idea that's gathering momentum, with the first of a series of national forums held in Adelaide, as Karen Ashford reports.