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| Welcome to the Beyond Bars Alliance website |
| The Beyond Bars Alliance (BBA) is a coalition of community and church organisations, activist groups, academics and individuals with an interest in social justice. |
| The purpose of the alliance is to promote social justice solutions to a range of criminal justice system issues with a particular focus on finding alternatives to imprisonment. It also aims to dispel common myths about 'law and order'. |
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The alliance first agreed to come together for the period leading up to the 2003 NSW state election. For a list of the founding members of the Beyond Bars Alliance click here. The BBA continues to attempt to influence public debate, opinion and policy |
| Enabling Justice Report Launched, 21 May 2008 |
| The 'Enabling Justice' report investigates the diversion of alleged offenders with intellectual disability from the New South Wales court system. This landmark report was produced by the Intellectual Disability Rights Service in conjunction with the coalition on Intellectual Disability and Criminal Justice and the NSW Council for Intellectual Disability. To download a copy of the report click here |
| Beyond Bars Position in the lead up to the 2007 Election |
| With a NSW state election looming the various political parties are releasing their election policy statements and jockeying for media coverage. In the criminal justice and law and order area a familiar pattern has been played out in election after election. Both major political parties have attempted to position themselves as "toughest" on law and order more>> |
| Stop the New Prison at Nowra |
| The NSW State Government is planning to build a new 500 bed prison near Nowra. To find out more click here |
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Beyond Bars Responds to the 2006 NSW State Plan Strategies and policies intended to reduce crime and re-offending must incorporate the causes of crime and re-offending. In addition to behavioural or psychological causal explanations, the high levels of disadvantage experienced by those who commit crime- and are caught, must be taken into account. This disadvantage -characterised by unemployment, poverty, low levels of educational achievement, homelessness or residing in areas of locational disadvantage, problematic drug and alcohol use, and the experience of intergenerational violence and abuse- is the norm for many people inside prison and is particularly acute in some communities. Aboriginal people, people with mental illness, and people with intellectual disability are over-represented as both victims and offenders in the NSW criminal justice system. Particular attention must be paid to these groups when designing policies that aim to ensure that all members of the community have the opportunity to enjoy the social and economic benefits the state of NSW has to offer. more>> |
| Expert Comment on Criminal Justice Issues |
| The Beyond Bars Alliance has prepared a comprehensive list of academics and community representatives who are able to provide expert comment on a range of criminal justice issues. more>> |
| Fact Sheets |
| The Beyond Bars Alliance has developed a series of detailed fact sheets that explain key aspects of the criminal justice system in NSW and rebut some of the common myths in the law and order debate. more>> |
| Related Information |
| The BBA attempts to maintains links to research papers, presentations and campaign related information about criminal justice system issues. more>> |
| Contact Us |
| Please contact us for further information about the Beyond Bars Alliance, or to join the Beyond Bars email list. more>> |
| Home |
| Members of the Alliance |
| 2007 Election |
| Expert Comment on Criminal Justice Issues |
| Fact Sheets |
| Links/Related Information |
| Contact Us |
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“The degree of civilization in a society can be judged by entering its prisons.” Fyodor Dostoevsky |
