Pressure building for northern jail
THE State Government says it is “closely investigating” establishing a northern prison as the Tasmanian Prison Service struggles with overcrowding.
Figures revealed by Upper House leader Leonie Hiscutt show Tasmania’s prison system was operating at 94 per cent capacity last week, with 614 prisoners in the system.
A total of 168 of those were unconvicted inmates or remandees, with 446 under sentence.
Tasmania’s overcrowded prison system was the subject of debate throughout yesterday morning’s Legislative Council session, after independent Windermere MLC Ivan Dean moved a motion asking ALEXANDRA HUMPHRIES the Upper House to consider the prison system’s operation and management.
Mr Dean presented union figures stating that about 10 per cent of Tasmania’s 441 prison staff were off on workers compensation claims in mid-September.
“How many others would have been on sick leave, recreational leave and other leave?” Mr Dean said. “This is not about bashing the prison service, it’s about trying to get it on the right path.
“I am of the strong belief that a second prison, possibly in North, is essential.”
Rumney Labor MLC Sarah Lovell said Risdon Prison was at “boiling point” and the Government’s “tough on crime” agenda would lead to more people being imprisoned.
“Overcrowding and pressure is putting more stress on the system than it can handle,” she said.
Ms Hiscutt said the Government had made substantial progress on addressing issues in the system, including by funding additional beds and increasing funding for the prison service.
Additional funding of $4 million had been provided to deal with increasing costs due to higher numbers of inmates, she said.
Ms Hiscutt said investigations into a northern prison would continue in a “deliberate and considered” fashion.
The Government is recruiting prison guards, with 18 correctional officers due to graduate from training in December and a second group expected to be operational by May.
New Corrections Minister Elise Archer last week released a draft Bill proposing the removal of sentence remissions, which would see new inmates no longer eligible for a threemonth reduction in their prison sentences.