Life Path Redirection - What does it mean and what could it achieve
Based on the principals of discipline, responsibility and team work.
The LPR would be a mechanism whereby young adults, who are in danger of being lost to themselves and society, can be given a pathway to change their lives.

The Process has 3 main phases.
1) Identification.
When a young person over the age of 16 is arrested, and sentenced to no more than 18 months imprisonment they would be offered the opportunity to enter the program.

2) Life Camp.
Once they choose to enter the program they will be admitted to a facility which instead of being a prison, is based on a military camp model.
Officially this would be an Australian Defence Force establishment, staffed by members of the ADF, and run a similar basic training program as would be undertaken by any new recuits for the Australian Army. Of course with some obvious limitations.

Their initial training period would be 18 weeks which they MUST pass.
Failing to do so, on 3 consecutive attempts would result in their being returned to serve their full sentence, without the option of parole.

3) Redirection.
At the end of the 18 weeks training they will be assessed for suitability of continuing in a career within the ADF, returning to serve the remainder of their sentence, or released on parole.
The intent is to break the cycle of offending. Giving them a sense of self worth and purpose in life.

Funding. The cost of incarceration for one person for one year is estimated to be in the vacinity of $100,000
If you make the assumption that redirecting an offender from the corrective services area to another area, that same level of funding should also be redirected. Therefore costings should be easier to manage.

Instructors might be Officer Candidates undertaking study at the Defence Force Acadamy and this could be integrated into their study activities.
Of course the whole scheme will need a lot of fine tuning, but the principle and objectives should be obvious.