Prison time does not deter DV offenders

Locking up domestic violence offenders is no more effective in reducing reoffending than giving someone a suspended sentence, NSW research shows.

The Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research (BOCSAR) revealed on Tuesday that 20 per cent of domestic violence offenders who were given a prison sentence of one year or less and 20 per cent of those who received a suspended sentence of two years or less had at least one new domestic violence-related offence within a year of being back in the community.

"Locking up offenders may incapacitate them but it doesn't seem to deter them. We need to find programs that address the underlying causes of violence, whether those causes involve alcohol, attitudes toward women or attitudes toward violence," BOCSAR Director Dr Don Weatherburn said.