The Corrections Minister has asked officials to look at shorter prison sentences and how they relate to higher levels of re-offending and whether longer sentences allow better rehabilitation for offenders, even if it leads to a big jump in prisoner numbers.
But the prisoner officer's union says there is already a lack of funding for support services for prisoners to help them turn away from crime and that prisons are already full.
He says recent figures indicate the prison population is heading towards 11,000.
Last year Corrections' budget was $1.9 billion and cost for each prisoner is between $160 and $205,000 a year.
The Correction's Association President, Floyd du Plessis joins Kathryn to talk about what is needed now
