Canberra has the highest rate of prisoners ending up back behind bars or on a community order within two years of their release.
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The latest figures in the Productivity Commission's report on government services also found the ACT had the nation's most expensive prison system, and that it topped the nation for the rate of prisoner on prisoner assaults.
According to the 2018-19 figures, 71.3 per cent of ACT prisoners either returned to prison or a community corrections order on a new sentence within two years of being released.
That rate of recidivism rose from 69.9 per cent in 2017-18.
Forty two per cent of ACT prisoners were back behind bars within two years, an improvement from 44.2 per cent the year before.
The number of prisoner on prisoner assaults also increased at 3.31 per 100 prisoners. That was up on 2.32 in 2017-18.
The ACT spends more per prisoner than any other jurisdiction, each costing $415 a day, in real recurrent expenditure.
NSW had the cheapest rate at $263. Across Australia, the cost per day per prisoner was $310.30.
The ACT has the second lowest average time spent out of cells for prisoners in open custody, at 11.5 hours a day.
Over the past nine years, the number of community corrections orders being completed has dropped from 86 per cent to 69 per cent in 2018-19, the figures revealed.
The ACT still has the best rate of prisoners participating in training or education at 70.8 per cent.
But there has been a significant drop over the past nine years from a rate of 92 per cent in 2009-10.
Trust in police was on the decline across Australia.
In the ACT, 74.2 per cent of people agreed or strongly agreed police treated people fairly. That was down on 77.6 per cent the previous year.
Eighty per cent of Canberrans were satisfied or very satisfied with police services, down on 82.5 in 2017-18.
However, over the past nine years, complaints against police have dropped significantly in the ACT.
ACT Fire and rescue had the fastest response to building fires in the country, while the public feels safer than anywhere else in Australia when home alone at night, and when using public transport.
The ACT police force had the second highest rate of female team members at 38 per cent.
"This is a testament to the great work of ACT Policing, which ranks above the national average for professionalism, fair treatment and honesty. Thanks to the efforts of our police officers, Canberra is a safe city with a downward trend in crime," Emergency Services Minister Mick Gentleman said.
Corrections Minister Shane Rattenbury said the ACT continued to be a leader in detainee education and training.
"The ACT has made significant progress to increase opportunities for detainees to develop skills for employment after being released through expanding the Alexander Maconochie Centre Bakery, recycling, and industrial cleaning and ground maintenance capabilities," he said.