Almost half of repeat offenders nearing the end of their prison terms said they had been discriminated against when freed from jail in the past, a study revealed.
A Correctional Services Department survey released yesterday also found that among a group of freed prisoners about 30 per cent had been discriminated against.
While most respondents listed finding jobs as their main priority, correctional officers said it was often drug-related problems that led them to reoffend rather than lack of work.
The survey polled 1,646 inmates and former prisoners in the middle of last year.
This included 1,215 discharged prisoners who had been released for at least three months and were still under the department's supervision.
Among the remaining 431 were prisoners due to be freed within six weeks, including 173 repeat offenders.
Of the 1,215 discharged prisoners, 28 per cent claimed they had been discriminated against at work and by their neighbours while 47 per cent of the 173 repeat offenders said they too had experienced problems after being released from prison in the past.
