This Evidence Brief presents key findings from Taylor Fry’s Pathways to homelessness report about people exiting custody in New South Wales (NSW). The authors also discuss implications for policy and practice. By better understanding the experiences and pathways of people exiting custody, supports can be put in place earlier to improve outcomes. The analysis uses a linked dataset that includes Specialist Homelessness Services and 18 other NSW Government and Commonwealth services.

• People leaving custody can find themselves particularly vulnerable to homelessness. Between 2011 and 2016, 1 in 8 (12%) people who left custody accessed homelessness services within a year – 20 times the rate of the wider population. The rate for Aboriginal people is double that for non-Aboriginal people. 
• The likelihood that someone who left custody in the previous 12 months will access homelessness services in the next year increases further for people who leave custody and are sleeping rough – at 60 times the rate of the broader population. 
• A large proportion of people exiting custody also access Legal Aid (40%) and/or appear in court (38%) between their custody exit and accessing homelessness services. 
• For people exiting custody, prior homelessness service use and mental health related emergency department visits predict increased risk of later homelessness service use. 
• The Taylor Fry analysis will help to identify where interventions might be most effective in reducing the risk of future homelessness for people exiting custody, and build the emerging evidence base around these. The analysis can also be used to inform the development of preventative programs, improved discharge planning and adequate post-release housing options.