Northern Territory's justice minister Syd Stirling said the scheme was the first of its kind in Australia and added that it would give inmates approaching release "real life skills that they can use back in their communities."
So far, five prisoners from Darwin Correction Centre have enrolled on the 11-week pilot scheme and are undergoing training at Darwin Crocodile Farm, which is one of Australia's largest such farms housing more than 36,000 saltwater crocodiles.
Mick Burns, who owns the farm, said the scheme benefited both the prisoners and his reptiles and he explained: "This not only assists in the maintenance of the farm itself, but provides life skills which will ultimately be put back into the community."
