A report by the Smarter Justice for Safer Communities campaign showed 70 per cent of respondents to a survey want to break the cycle of re-offending instead of a tough-on-crime approach.
Only 6 per cent agreed the current system is working to keep the community safe.
“The Northern Territory is the only jurisdiction in this country where crime is actually rising, confirming that so-called ‘tough-on-crime’ approaches to justice have done nothing to break the cycle of offending or reduce the prevalence of crime in our communities,” Northern Territory Aboriginal Justice Agreement governance committee co-chair Olga Havnen said.
“The public are well aware of the challenges we face and have told us they are disillusioned with the policies of the past and are ready to embrace alternative and valid justice approaches that are proven to work and can be readily scaled up in Territory communities.”
The campaign, supported by the Paul Ramsey Foundation and Aboriginal-led organisations, is calling to improve justice responses, early intervention, drug and alcohol treatment, and mental health programs.
It comes after the report found an “outdated approach” to criminal justice “is particularly harmful to Aboriginal Territorians, who are disproportionately affected by poorer outcomes in the justice system”.
“The state’s high incarceration rates fail to provide the best outcomes for victims, offenders or communities,” the report said.
“The current system does not keep Territorians safe, provide value for money to the taxpayer, or reduce harm to Aboriginal communities.”
NT Police have put out several calls for information about crime in Alice Springs at the weekend.
Three suspicious car fires occurred in the early hours of Saturday on Bath Street in the CBD, Gason Street and Bromley Street in Gillen.
Police also reported two break-ins on Saturday.
A business on the corner of Leichhardt Terrace and Stott Terrace was broken into where a Toyota LandCruiser was stolen and later found abandoned.
The Peter Sitzler Building on Stuart Highway was also broken into where a white Toyota Hilux and a white Toyota Prado were stolen.
Neither vehicle has yet been recovered.
Officers have appealed for any information about the break-ins and car fires.
Data released in February showed an alarming spike in crime between 2021 and 2022.
Assaults went up 51 per cent in one calendar year, with 2823 reported in a town of 26,000.
Domestic violence-related assaults spiked even higher, up 65 per cent. Alcohol-related assaults were up 68 per cent.
There were 1886 reported instances of domestic violence and 1521 assaults related to alcohol.
Property damage was up 55 per cent, and commercial break-ins were up 47 per cent.
