Prison Overpopulation: How, why, and what next?

Talks on Tuesdays: Real lectures in your favourite venues. 45-min& Q+A with Kelly Jackson Talks on Tuesdays is a live event series bringing big ideas, real experts, and curious minds together - at your favourite local venues. Think thought-provoking lectures, audience questions, and post-talk mingling over drinks and dinner. This isn’t a uni lecture. It’s a social, intelligent night out.Come alone or with friends, leave with something to talk about. Event Schedule: 6.30pm Arrival & Doors Open 7pm Lecture Starts 7.45pm Q&A 8pm Talk Concludes 8.30pm Event Closes. *Please arrive close to 6.30pm A La Carte menu and full bar available throughout the night - pay as you go. Your Topic: Prison Overpopulation: How, why, and what next? Imprisonment is intended to rehabilitate, yet Western Australia’s prisons are increasingly strained as population numbers climb, and the correctional system struggles to fulfil this purpose. This talk turns a curious mind to how we got here by considering the foundational purpose of penal punishments, analysing the social and institutional factors that influence imprisonment, and comparing Western Australia's experiences on an international platform. Along the way, we'll ask the big, uncomfortable question: if our prisons are at capacity, what realistic alternatives do we have, and what might a smarter, more humane justice system actually look like? Your Speaker: Kelly has spent several years investigating Western Australia’s justice system, building an understanding of how and why we respond to offending behaviours. Time spent speaking, observing, evaluating, and investigating has informed this understanding and spurred a desire to facilitate change. Kelly’s work sits at the intersection of criminology and psychology, and she’s known for making complex justice issues feel human, relatable, and thought provoking. Her perspective comes from being on the ground, talking to real people, and seeing firsthand how policies play out within prisons.