There’s a push for significant prison reforms in Australia to establish more “effective” alternatives for low-level offenders.

Former federal minister Robert Tickner is chairing the Justice Reform Initiative.

The alliance’s tag line is “jailing is failing”, taking aim at the rising prison population.

Mr Tickner told Jim Wilson reform is needed for offenders who commit minor crimes and don’t pose a threat to the wider community, such as better rehabilitation options and career pathways.

“The system is failing to break that recidivist cycle.

“This is not about being soft on crime or abolishing prisons.

“It’s about saying there’s a whole category of offenders who can turn their lives around, and we ought to be giving them the opportunity to do that.”

He said it was about being “smart on crime”.

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