Prison can be a 'revolving door' but ex-inmate wants to change
Almost half of those released from prison end up back behind bars within two years. Convicted drug trafficker Shannon Pursell was one of them.
Shannon Pursell, a convicted drug trafficker, has struggled with reoffending throughout his life. Tasmania has one of the highest recidivism rates in Australia, with nearly half of released prisoners returning to prison within two years. Despite this, Pursell has managed to stay out of prison for the longest period of his adult life.
Advocates have called for more investment in support programs for former inmates to help them adjust to life outside of jail. Pursell's support came from a one-on-one peer program called Building Pathways, which has helped him stay out of trouble for 18 months since his last release. The program focuses on building communication skills, managing conflict, and rebuilding broken relationships.
Pursell credits the program and drug counseling for helping him navigate everyday challenges and avoid reoffending.
Written by urgent.news from ABC News AU's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
