First Nations women account most imprisonment increase

ABC - AM - Michael Brissenden

Across Australia female imprisonment rates have doubled in the last decade and Indigenous women account for almost the entire increase.

That's the shocking finding of new research conducted by criminologist Professor Eileen Baldry, who's labelled the situation appalling and scandalous.

The first Indigenous magistrate in New South Wales, Pat O'Shane, says handing out repeat short sentences means prison rehabilitation programs are useless.

Sarah Dingle reports.