Prison unrest sparks nicotine review

AN urgent review has been ordered into Risdon Prison’s management of a nicotine program after an inmate protest ended in teargas being used on the offenders.

Acting Corrections Minister Guy Barnett has directed the prison service to review how it is phasing out nicotine patches, which have been blamed for a series of bashings and misuse within the facility.

Trouble broke out about noon on Wednesday when 40 medium security inmates refused to go back to their cells.

A banner was unfurled on the prison’s fences, demanding “basic human rights”.

The standoff lasted about eight hours until the Tactical Response Group was sent in to quell the protest with teargas.

A probe has begun into the ringleaders, and the prison was in lockdown yesterday.

The Government said the inmates were protesting solely over the nicotine program’s cessation but the Mercury has been told of several issues causing tension at the prison.

Those include more lockdowns, overcrowding, understaffing and inadequate medical treatment.

Mr Barnett yesterday said the inmates’ behaviour would not be tolerated.

“If you do the crime, you do the time,” he said. “The prison is not Club Med, it is not a holiday destination.”

The prison is operating at 93 per cent capacity.

Mr Barnett said 81 new beds were being built from next year and an extra 47.3 full-time equivalent staff had been hired.

A prison in the state’s North is also being examined.

Prisoner Legal Service chairman Greg Barns blamed the Government’s “tough on crime” agenda as causing problems at Risdon.

“There are continued lockdowns, which means prisoners are only getting one hour a day out of their cells,” he said.

“When you get a law-andorder climate this is the result: overcrowded prisons, increased risk to staff and prisoners.”

The Opposition said the Government had been given “repeated warnings” that trouble was brewing at Risdon.