Accommodation options for released prisoners with complex needs

The issue of homelessness or inappropriate housing of people with complex needs is a serious problem for individuals who have found themselves frequently in the criminal justice system. Complex needs and challenging behaviours exhibited by those with mental illness, intellectual disability and or acquired brain injury combined with for example, family dysfunction, homelessness, poverty, and drug and alcohol misuse of a cocktail of issues that have been difficult to treat let alone support. Incarceration has been the alternative for the judiciary with the intention of protecting the individual offender as well as the community. However it is argued that proper support in the community may avert the need to seek incarceration as the only option for 'released prisoners' with complex needs. This thesis seeks to contribute to the understanding of what it means to be a person with complex needs and the effect of a short term sentence on the ability to seek stable accommodation once released from prison. It draws on the extensive literature in the field for example, with regard to people with disabilities in the criminal justice system and the housing experiences of ex-prisoners in general and those with complex needs. Through a number of in depth discussions with stakeholders from both state government and non-government representative agencies, a critical analysis was undertaken of the available accommodation options for this cohort in Tasmania. From these discussions it is evident that, current services either must embrace the needs of this cohort or a new dedicated service should be developed. However, the new Whole of Government and Community Sector housing initiative 'Housing Connect', commencing 1 July 2013, may offer the required support for this group of people with complex needs.