Rinehart wants a 'get out of jail' card

Gina Rinehart has pitched an idea that could only make sense in her billionaire-mind: allowing prisoners to pay their way out of jail.

Victoria has seen an incredible explosion in the imprisonment of offenders. This is expensive.So I'm gonna hit you with some stats. The Coalition government are 'cracking down on crime' by spending millions of dollars for an inquiry into the building of a new prison, as ours are reflecting those of the US; overflowing. It costs around $90,000 to keep one person incarcerated for a year. There has been a 47.4 per cent increase in Victoria's prison population from 2008 to 2012, and it's not stopping anytime soon. Due to the lack of prison space, offenders are having to spend time in policy custody, which this leads to all sorts of complications. I'm an abolitionist; prison does not work. But there are some reforms that can be made, including greater investment in crime prevention and the rehabilitation of offenders.

So Gina comes along, thinking she can help out Victoria's prison problem. She proposes that non-violent offenders can pay their way out of prison, or avoid going to prison all together, which would increase the state's revenue. For those who can't afford freedom, they can surrender their passport, or their constitutionally-enshrined right to vote.

But what about the victims. What about the people who have suffered because of what these offenders have done; where is their freedom? Granted, Gina's idea is only for non-violent offenders, but should thieves and drug traffickers be forgiven immediately if they have a bit of cash? We've already seen the problems involved with offenders deemed to be 'non-violent' and released on parole, most notably Adrian Bailey. The criminal justice system already punishes those who live in poverty, minority groups, and those with mental illnesses. Gina's idea does not satisfy any of the five principles considered when sentencing an offender: punishment, denunciation, deterrence, rehabilitation and community safety. Stick to what you know, Gina.