Poverty, disadvantage 'key triggers' for Indigenous offenders

The Human Rights Law Centre has joined with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander groups to come up with a blueprint to address, what they call, the rapidly increasing over-representation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples caught up in the criminal justice system.

Human Rights Law Centre executive director Hugh de Kretser.

It's been described as one of the most significant human rights issues in Australia and it's only getting worse.

The Human Rights Law Centre has joined with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander groups to come up with a blueprint to address, what they call, the rapidly increasing over-representation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples caught up in the criminal justice system.

The campaign titled Change the Record outlines 12 key policy recommendations targeted at addressing poverty and disadvantage, which they say are the key triggers for crime.

Executive Director of the Human Rights Law Centre Hugh de Kretser has told Abby Dinham, the focus needs to be shifted to preventative measures rather than punitive.

(Click on the audio tab above to hear the full interview)