In what will be a first for NSW, a High Intensity Program Unit will be set up at Cessnock Gaol.
Announced in the state budget, $20 million dollars from a total program of $237 million dollars will be used to deliver intensive services, programs and planning to ensure inmates get their lives back on track.
The program is targeted towards inmates who've been convicted of general violence and aggression offenses and have less than 12 months to serve on their sentence.
Statewide, the initiative is expected to benefit more than 1200 male and female inmates each year.
Parliamentary Secretary for the Hunter Scot Macdonald says it's vital inmates are given a second chance to get their lives back on track.
"You can't have people cycling back through the gaols. It's obviously not good for the person going into gaol, it's not good for the community, it's not good for the economy. So, I very much fall on the side that we certainly need to keep the community safe - it's equally important to get people rehabilitated and keep them educated to give them the best chance when they get out of the gaol and back into a meaningful position," he said.
