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Empty prison beds while crime soars: The proposal that's got Victorians fuming

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Empty prison beds while crime soars: The proposal that's got Victorians fuming

Screenshot 2025-10-09 at 13.07.09.png Empty prison beds while crime soars: The proposal that's got Victorians fuming
Victoria's prisons sit at 70% capacity while crime rates hit their highest levels in over a decade - now a proposal to lease empty cells to other states has sparked outrage. Image source: ABC News (Australia) / Youtube.

When you hear that Victoria's prisons are sitting at just 70 per cent capacity while crime rates hit their highest levels in over a decade, you might wonder if something's gone seriously wrong with the justice system.



Now, a controversial proposal to lease those empty cells to other states has sparked outrage across Victoria, with many asking why local criminals aren't filling those beds instead.





The latest official figures paint a stark picture: criminal incidents in Victoria jumped to 483,583 in the year to June 2025—an 18.3 per cent increase from the previous year, while more recent data shows criminal offences reached 627,268 by March 2025, up a staggering 20.1 per cent.



Yet according to research from the Institute of Public Affairs (IPA), Victoria's prisons are running significantly under capacity.



The numbers that don't add up



The crime rate now stands at 6,814 incidents per 100,000 Victorians—a 16.3 per cent jump from 2024 and the highest level recorded in more than a decade, with overall offence rates reaching 8,838.7 per 100,000 people by March 2025.









'I'm sure many Victorians are quite surprised that their prisons aren't full, especially given the context of the crime crises that we're seeing on our street'

Mia Schlicht, Institute of Public Affairs



Despite these rising crime rates, Victoria Police have been working overtime, making record numbers of arrests—73,539 arrests in 2024 alone, and by March 2025, they'd arrested 25,917 people a combined 75,968 times, equivalent to 208 arrests per day. So where are all these arrested criminals going?



The controversial cash grab proposal



The IPA has suggested Victoria could earn approximately $290 million annually by leasing empty prison cells to Queensland and South Australia. The proposal hinges on the fact that the most common and fastest-growing crime is theft from motor vehicle, with 75,731 offences recorded, including over 27,000 cases of number plate theft—yet many offenders aren't ending up behind bars.










Prison economics 101


Cost to house a prisoner: $600 per day


Marginal cost of adding an extra prisoner: $445.43 per day


Potential revenue from leasing 20 per cent of capacity: $289.8 million annually


Current prison occupancy: Approximately 70 per cent




IPA research fellow Mia Schlicht argues this could be a win-win situation, generating revenue that could fund more police officers while helping other states manage their overcrowded facilities. But Victorians aren't buying it.




Source: ABC News (Australia) / Youtube.



Community backlash grows



The proposal has struck a nerve with Victorians who feel their safety is being compromised for profit. Social media has exploded with criticism, with many echoing the sentiment of social media user Adam Scholte, who said: 'I'd rather the criminals—the hardened criminals breaking the law, getting out on bail time and time again—to be imprisoned, not out on bail.'



The statistics reveal a troubling pattern: while the number of unique child offenders actually decreased by 3 per cent, repeat offenders increased by 4.9 per cent, with 330 hardened young offenders arrested three or more times for serious crimes including home invasions and car thefts.









What this means for your safety



For many seniors, these statistics translate into real concerns about daily safety. Theft from motor vehicles topped the crime list, with power tools being the second most stolen item after number plates—items that directly affect older Australians' mobility and security.




Crime trends affecting seniors most



  • Theft from motor vehicles up significantly (particularly concerning for medical equipment, mobility aids)

  • Home invasions continuing despite record arrests

  • Repeat offenders being released on bail multiple times

  • Property crimes surging during cost-of-living pressures




Unlawful entry with intent (burglary) affected 45,895 Victorians in 2024, up 25 per cent from the previous year—the highest number since 2016. These aren't just statistics; they represent real families and individuals whose sense of security has been shattered.



The bail law controversy



Premier Jacinta Allan's government introduced tougher bail laws on 28 March 2025, making it harder for repeat offenders to be released back into the community. However, the impact of these changes isn't evident in the current reporting period, given they only came into effect on 28 March.









Victoria Police has welcomed these bail changes, stating that the level of child and youth offending recidivism is 'completely unacceptable'. The question remains: will these changes actually result in more prisoners filling those empty cells, or will the pattern continue?



Financial pressures drive desperate measures



The proposal highlights Victoria's dire financial situation. Mia Schlicht didn't mince words: 'The reality is, this state is broke. There is no more money, and we know that the best way to deter crime is to put more police on the streets, but we don't have money to do so.'



Did you know?


Did you know?
The Western Plains Correctional Centre in Geelong cost $1 billion to construct but sat empty for two years, costing taxpayers $36 million annually just to keep the facility operational during that period.



Looking ahead: Short-term solution or long-term problem?



The IPA acknowledges their proposal is only a 'short-term' solution to Victoria's 'costly but underutilised prison system.' Inevitably, governments will need to address the capacity challenge by either building new facilities at significant cost or reforming sentencing practices for non-violent offenders.



Meanwhile, Victorians are left wondering why their tax dollars are maintaining empty prison cells while they feel increasingly unsafe in their own communities. The proposal might generate revenue, but it's also generated something the government probably didn't want: a spotlight on the disconnect between rising crime and prison occupancy rates.



What's your take on this controversial proposal? Do you think Victoria should be housing interstate prisoners while local crime rates soar, or could this be a smart way to fund better policing? Share your thoughts and experiences about community safety in the comments below.




  • Primary Source


    https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-15172061/Victoria-prisoner-crime-interstate.html





  • Homepage | Crime Statistics Agency Victoria

    Cited text: The number of criminal incidents recorded by Victoria Police in the year to 30 June 2025 was 483,583, up 18.3 per cent from 408,930 incidents recorded in the ...


    Excerpt: The latest official figures paint a stark picture: criminal incidents in Victoria jumped to 483,583 in the year to June 2025—an 18…



    https://www.crimestatistics.vic.gov.au/





  • Key Figures: Year ending March 2025 | Crime Statistics Agency Victoria

    Cited text: The number of criminal incidents recorded by Victoria Police in the year to 31 March 2025 was 474,937, up 20.1 per cent from 395,313 incidents recorded in the...


    Excerpt: The latest official figures paint a stark picture: criminal incidents in Victoria jumped to 483,583 in the year to June 2025—an 18…



    https://www.crimestatistics.vic.gov.au/media-centre/news/key-figures-year-ending-march-2025





  • Homepage | Crime Statistics Agency Victoria

    Cited text: View the map · 16.3 per cent 5,859.7 · Jun 2024 · 6,814.0 · Jun 2025 · 13.8 per cent 7,910.5 · Jun 2024 · 8,998.9 · Jun 2025 · 25 September 2025 · The number of crimi...


    Excerpt: The crime rate now stands at 6,814 incidents per 100,000 Victorians—a 16.3 per cent jump from 2024 and the highest level recorded in more than a decade, with overall offence rates reaching 8,838.7 per 100,000 people by March 2025



    https://www.crimestatistics.vic.gov.au/





  • Crime in Victoria—Wikipedia

    Cited text: According to data from the Crime Statistics Agency, the overall offence rate rose to 8,838.7 per 100,000 people in the year ending March 2025, the hig...


    Excerpt: The crime rate now stands at 6,814 incidents per 100,000 Victorians—a 16.3 per cent jump from 2024 and the highest level recorded in more than a decade, with overall offence rates reaching 8,838.7 per 100,000 people by March 2025



    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crime_in_Victoria





  • Victoria Police Responds to 2024 Crime Data Release | Mirage News

    Cited text: In 2024, Victoria Police made the most arrests since electronic records commenced in 1993—26,519 people were arrested a total of 73,539 times.


    Excerpt: Despite these rising crime rates, Victoria Police have been working overtime, making record numbers of arrests—73,539 arrests in 2024 alone, and by March 2025, they'd arrested 25,917 people a combined 75,968 times, equivalent to 208…



    https://www.miragenews.com/victoria-police-responds-to-2024-crime-data-1429009/





  • Victoria Police Responds to March 2025 Crime Stats Data | Mirage News

    Cited text: For a third consecutive quarter, Victoria Police recorded the most arrests since electronic records began in 1993, and most likely, in Victoria Police...


    Excerpt: Despite these rising crime rates, Victoria Police have been working overtime, making record numbers of arrests—73,539 arrests in 2024 alone, and by March 2025, they'd arrested 25,917 people a combined 75,968 times, equivalent to 208…



    https://www.miragenews.com/victoria-police-responds-to-march-2025-crime-1480725/





  • Victoria Police Responds to 2024 Crime Data Release | Mirage News

    Cited text: ... • Theft from motor vehicle (75,731 offences, +18,929) is both the most common and fastest growing crime. More than a third of these offences relat...


    Excerpt: the most common and fastest-growing crime is theft from motor vehicle, with 75,731 offences recorded, including over 27,000 cases of number plate theft



    https://www.miragenews.com/victoria-police-responds-to-2024-crime-data-1429009/





  • Victoria Police Responds to 2024 Crime Data Release | Mirage News

    Cited text: • The number of unique child offenders actually decreased by 3 per cent, however the total number of repeat offenders increased by 4.9 per cent. In simple terms, ther...


    Excerpt: The statistics reveal a troubling pattern: while the number of unique child offenders actually decreased by 3 per cent, repeat offenders increased by 4…



    https://www.miragenews.com/victoria-police-responds-to-2024-crime-data-1429009/





  • Victoria Police Responds to 2024 Crime Data Release | Mirage News

    Cited text: • This includes 330 hardened young offenders arrested three or more times for committing serious and violent crimes such as breaking into homes, steal...


    Excerpt: The statistics reveal a troubling pattern: while the number of unique child offenders actually decreased by 3 per cent, repeat offenders increased by 4…



    https://www.miragenews.com/victoria-police-responds-to-2024-crime-data-1429009/





  • Victoria Police Responds to 2024 Crime Data Release | Mirage News

    Cited text: ... • Theft from motor vehicle (75,731 offences, +18,929) is both the most common and fastest growing crime.


    Excerpt: Theft from motor vehicles topped the crime list, with power tools being the second most stolen item after number plates



    https://www.miragenews.com/victoria-police-responds-to-2024-crime-data-1429009/





  • Victoria Police Responds to 2024 Crime Data Release | Mirage News

    Cited text: Power tools were the second most stolen item.


    Excerpt: Theft from motor vehicles topped the crime list, with power tools being the second most stolen item after number plates



    https://www.miragenews.com/victoria-police-responds-to-2024-crime-data-1429009/





  • Recorded Crime—Victims, 2024 | Australian Bureau of Statistics

    Cited text: In 2024, there were 45,895 victims of unlawful entry with intent recorded in Victoria, an increase of 25 per cent (9,243 victims) from the previous year. This...


    Excerpt: Unlawful entry with intent (burglary) affected 45,895 Victorians in 2024, up 25 per cent from the previous year—the highest number since 2016



    https://www.abs.gov.au/statistics/people/crime-and-justice/recorded-crime-victims/latest-release





  • Victoria Police Responds to March 2025 Crime Stats Data | Mirage News

    Cited text: The impact caused by the first tranche of changes to bail laws is not evident in this reporting period, given these only came into effect on 28 March....


    Excerpt: the impact of these changes isn't evident in the current reporting period, given they only came into effect on 28 March



    https://www.miragenews.com/victoria-police-responds-to-march-2025-crime-1480725/





  • Victoria Police Responds to 2024 Crime Data Release | Mirage News

    Cited text: • Victoria Police has been very clear that this level of child and youth offending recidivism is completely unacceptable and as a result, welcomes the...


    Excerpt: Victoria Police has welcomed these bail changes, stating that the level of child and youth offending recidivism is 'completely unacceptable'



    https://www.miragenews.com/victoria-police-responds-to-2024-crime-data-1429009/



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Of course the prisons in Vic., aren't at capacity intake when the ARSEHOLES of the state get a "Smack" over the back of the hand & set free, &, told not to be naughty boys & girls anymore.

It's all one bloody big joke.
 
In Vic, it's easier to get out of prison than to get in.

Despite the rhetoric (& endless Govt ads on TV at taxpayer expense) spruiking the supposedly tough new bail laws "making it harder to get bail for repeat offenders", sentencing guidelines for Judges maintains the line that offenders who have never been incarcerated should not be jailed as it exposes them to other prisoners & risks helping turn them into career criminals.

Well, hello! the recidivist folk who violently invade homes, often with weapons, ARE career criminals. They are becoming career criminals by repeat exposure to others also out on bail even as they plan & execute further robberies, attacks & deadly car "joyrides".

The circular argument, "But they've never been in jail so we shouldn't jail them" perpetuates the "catch & release" disaster which is endemic to Victoria.

And I thought the reason was a lack of prison infrastructure to house all the inmates! It makes you sick to live in Victoria.
 
It sounds like the majority of offences are being committed by recidivist youth offenders who can’t be held in adult prisons. If that’s the case, I’d be interested to know the current occupancy rates of Victoria’s juvenile detention centres.
 
Get rid of sentencing guidelines and replace them with mandatory sentences without limitation, you do the full sentence if you believed in good behavior then you wouldn't be doing a bit of porridge for a start?
 
In Vic, it's easier to get out of prison than to get in.

Despite the rhetoric (& endless Govt ads on TV at taxpayer expense) spruiking the supposedly tough new bail laws "making it harder to get bail for repeat offenders", sentencing guidelines for Judges maintains the line that offenders who have never been incarcerated should not be jailed as it exposes them to other prisoners & risks helping turn them into career criminals.

Well, hello! the recidivist folk who violently invade homes, often with weapons, ARE career criminals. They are becoming career criminals by repeat exposure to others also out on bail even as they plan & execute further robberies, attacks & deadly car "joyrides".

The circular argument, "But they've never been in jail so we shouldn't jail them" perpetuates the "catch & release" disaster which is endemic to Victoria.

And I thought the reason was a lack of prison infrastructure to house all the inmates! It makes you sick to live in Victoria.
Very well stated.👍

The punishment for the crimes these criminals commit is an absolute joke.

So much for the TOUGHER NEW RULES🤬

Makes you wonder who’s getting all the kick-backs🧐
 
It sounds like the majority of offences are being committed by recidivist youth offenders who can’t be held in adult prisons. If that’s the case, I’d be interested to know the current occupancy rates of Victoria’s juvenile detention centres.
They are probably half empty too ! Police catch ‘em and judges let them off if it’s anything like Qld ! Some are just 13 years old ! Makes you wonder what the hell is going on !
 
Gosh that is the most ridiculous thing I have ever read and you have to wonder about the idiots running the justice system in Victoria. A dreadful thing to say but when the crimes impact the people giving out this so called punishment, perhaps we might see some actual change and the punishment fit the crime because until it does it will nit be a deterrent.
 
500 a day. are they in a golden cage? OMG australia come on kick some victorian arses.
 
It sounds like the majority of offences are being committed by recidivist youth offenders who can’t be held in adult prisons. If that’s the case, I’d be interested to know the current occupancy rates of Victoria’s juvenile detention centres.
Good question.
I'd suggest juveniles who repeat their crimes 3 or 4 times then go to adult prisons (I suppose to make 'proper' crooks out of them - many are actually employed by the real crooks to do the crime because they get off with a lenient sentence!) but then there is the case of an Aboriginal boy Himself encountered in the NT - he was a repeat offender just so he could get back into his 'home', the (now closed) naughty boy's camp at Wildman River. There he was treated humanely, got three meals a day and actually did something positive in his life (maintaining a picnic ground, building furniture for the picnic ground). Where his Family lived he was lucky to get a decent meal at all, had nothing constructive to do and less incentive to do it, and more likely to get a beating from his father or other adult males with a skinful and a bad attitude. Kids like him need a different treatment to those who are just bad because they're bored - or paid!
 
I recon the main reason the prisons are empty is that Victoria is in too much debt to be able to pay staff to work in them. So if they rent them out to other states Victoria will get revenue to help with the debts and the other states will pay their staff. Great thinking but that doesn’t help with the crime problem we have here. Maybe cut costs by getting rid of the political perks we all pay for. Get rid of the dead wood holding us all back. The whole system needs an overhaul, the judical system too. Whatever they are all doing is just not working
 
And Queersland's crime rates, due no doubt to some creative accounting, are falling ...
 
They are probably half empty too ! Police catch ‘em and judges let them off if it’s anything like Qld ! Some are just 13 years old ! Makes you wonder what the hell is going on !
I got it on good authority ( a police relative) that happens in NSW as well, the Police just don't bother chasing up youth crime for that reason.
 
Who is going to pay for these interstate prisoner's families to travel longer distances to visit them? They will be crying about how "unfair" it is that they are so far away. It always costs the taxpayer!
 
The story states that it costs $600 to house a prisoner per day. Just stop for a minute and try and comprehend that sum of money. Some people don't even spend that much per day on a holiday. Take away their carpet, ducted heating, air conditioning, the sum of money via vouches that they do their choice of shopping with, when they are in groups in cottages. One does the shopping, another cooking, another two would do daily cleaning in the cottage. They also have entertainment with videos, computer games, courses to study, TVs in their bedrooms and much more. The only thing they don't have is the freedom to walk out. They have hair salons, medical services, councelling, access to the phone. All of these things do not cost the prisoner one cent. It is all paid out if the taxpayers money. You may say that this is their civil and human right to have these things available. Where were the civil and human rights of those who were vandalized, had their belongings stollen, were beaten up, or sadly even killed. Where were the civil and human rights of the victims, when they suffered both mentally and physically, at the hands of these criminals. Take away the 5 Star conveniences and comforts, that cost $600 per day to house the prisoner, and you are sure to see a big decline in the rate of crime. 🙏🦋
 
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The story states that it costs $600 to house a prisoner per day. Just stop for a minute and try and comprehend that sum of money. Some people don't even spend that much per day on a holiday. Take away their carpet, ducted heating, air conditioning, the sum of money via vouches that they do their choice of shopping with, when they are in groups in cottages. One does the shopping, another cooking, another two would do daily cleaning in the cottage. They also have entertainment with videos, computer games, TVs in their bedrooms and much more. The only thing they don't have is the freedom to walk out. They have hair salons, medical services, councilling, access to the phone. All of these things do not cost the prisoner one cent. It is all paid out if the taxpayers money. You may say that this is their civil and human right to have these things available. Where were the civil and human rights of those who were vandalized, had their belongings stollen, were beaten up, or sadly even killed. Where were the civil and human rights of the victims, when they suffered both mentally and physically, at the hands of these criminals. Take away the 5 Star conveniences and comforts, that cost $600 per day to house the prisoner, and you are sure to see a big decline in the rate of crime. 🙏🦋
"Take away the 5 Star conveniences, et cetera": that almosr sounds like you reckon that people deliberately choose to pick out crime as a way of life above all others so they can graduate to that kind of living.
Yes, I know that modern practices of incarceration seem to make life a lot better and easier for the crims once they're inside, but I think that came about gradually due to the powerful influences of the well-meaning and misled do-gooders in our society.
Make it much easier for criminals to serve time by reinforcing the existing laws in a meaningful way and make it much harder for them to get out once they're in by giving more rights to the victims (and society) to see that justice is done in return for them committing their crimes.
After all, if somebody breaks into your house in the middle of the night, confronts you with an iron bar and demands your car keys and your cash (and you could look on that as the least of the crimes that could be committed), he's definitely not there to wish you a Merry Christmas, is he?
Yet we still hear the "misunderstood", "fell in with bad company", "came from a broken home", "withstood violence as a kid" platitudes endlessly given as excuses for their behaviour to evoke sympathy for the crims, not the victims.
And, yes, I know it costs money to keep them inside, but is there any better way to guarantee that fewer criminals walk our streets without fear of retribution?
 
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"Take away the 5 Star conveniences, et cetera": that almosr sounds like you reckon that people deliberately choose to pick out crime as a way of life above all others so they can graduate to that kind of living.
Yes, I know that modern practices of incarceration seem to make life a lot better and easier for the crims once they're inside, but I think that came about gradually due to the powerful influences of the well-meaning and misled do-gooders in our society.
Make it much easier for criminals to serve time by reinforcing the existing laws in a meaningful way and make it much harder for them to get out once they're in by giving more rights to the victims (and society) to see that justice is done in return for them committing their crimes.
After all, if somebody breaks into your house in the middle of the night, confronts you with an iron bar and demands your car keys and your cash (and you could look on that as the least of the crimes that could be committed), he's definitely not there to wish you a Merry Christmas, is he?
Yet we still hear the "misunderstood", "fell in with bad company", "came from a broken home", "withstood violence as a kid" platitudes endlessly given as excuses for their behaviour to evoke sympathy for the crims, not the victims.
And, yes, I know it costs money to keep them inside, but is there any better way to guarantee that fewer criminals walk our streets without fear of retribution?
Good morning dear member Zemo and thankyou for your well written post. I agree with you totally. However to summarise my post, crimes are committed because there is no fear of punishment. Wether the criminal comes from a broken family, or is from the elite society, there is no fear of punishment. When you compare the prisons in countries overseas, the prisons here are viewed as free accommodation places. I know people who have spent much time inside, and when they came out, they were healthy from eating good food on time, excersising and sleeping on time. They looked and felt 100 times better than they did before they went in. Once they got a flavour of freedom, they began to change rapidly with stress, not eating on time, not exercising at all, not sleeping on time, no self discipline or control of their lives. So what is going to stop these people from commiting further crimes, nothing, absolutely nothing. Have a beautiful weekend. 🙏🦋
 
Good morning dear member Zemo and thankyou for your well written post. I agree with you totally. However to summarise my post, crimes are committed because there is no fear of punishment. Wether the criminal comes from a broken family, or is from the elite society, there is no fear of punishment. When you compare the prisons in countries overseas, the prisons here are viewed as free accommodation places. I know people who have spent much time inside, and when they came out, they were healthy from eating good food on time, excersising and sleeping on time. They looked and felt 100 times better than they did before they went in. Once they got a flavour of freedom, they began to change rapidly with stress, not eating on time, not exercising at all, not sleeping on time, no self discipline or control of their lives. So what is going to stop these people from commiting further crimes, nothing, absolutely nothing. Have a beautiful weekend. 🙏🦋
As I said ...
 
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