维多利亚州计划让低安全级别囚犯参与道路维护工作

维多利亚州总理本·卡罗尔宣布，如果工党在11月州选举中获胜，将试点一项计划让低安全级别的监狱囚犯在监督下从事道路维护工作1。这些工作包括清理垃圾、修剪草坪和清除涂鸦1。

澳大利亚监狱劳动已相当普遍。在2024-25年期间，符合条件的监狱人口中有80%被雇用1。根据现有数据，澳大利亚51%符合条件的囚犯在服务业工作，28%在商业工业工作1。然而，监狱报酬问题严重，薪资极低，每天仅从7美元起1。联合国现代奴隶制特别报告员已表示应支付最低工资，并与通货膨胀挂钩1。此外，2020年北领地审计长的报告曾发现近100万美元的监狱人员信托资金管理问题1。

就业对囚犯的重新融入社会具有重要意义。研究表明有意义的就业可减少重新犯罪1。然而，获释后的囚犯面临严峻的就业困难——72%离监人员在获释后两周内没有安排有薪工作1。此外，原住民和托雷斯海峡岛民的监狱就业率约为72%，低于非原住民的85%1。数据显示，澳大利亚成年监狱人口中60%有前科记录1。

Victoria's Premier Ben Carroll has announced plans to deploy low-security prisoners in road maintenance work under supervision if Labor wins the state election scheduled for November 1. The initiative would involve inmates in tasks such as litter collection, grass trimming, and graffiti removal 1.

Prison labor is already widespread across Australia's correctional system. In 2024-25, approximately 80% of eligible prison populations were employed 1. The majority of working prisoners—51%—are engaged in service industry roles, while 28% work in commercial or industrial sectors 1. However, compensation remains minimal, starting at just AU$7 per day 1. Research indicates that meaningful employment opportunities can reduce recidivism, yet disparities exist: Indigenous Australian and Torres Strait Islander prisoners have employment rates of around 72%, compared to 85% for non-Indigenous inmates 1. Additionally, 72% of released prisoners have not secured paid work within two weeks of their release 1.

The compensation structure and workplace conditions have drawn international scrutiny. The United Nations Special Rapporteur on modern slavery has argued that prisoners should receive minimum wage indexed to inflation 1. A 2020 audit by the Northern Territory's Auditor-General identified nearly AU$1 million in mismanagement of prisoner trust fund accounts 1.