Prisoner releases bungled

Seven inmates out early

SEVEN prisoners have been mistakenly allowed to walk free from Tasmanian jails in the past four years, government figures show.

And another four have been kept in prison despite having finished their sentences.

But the information released in response to questions asked by Labor during Budget Estimates did not reveal what crimes the prisoners had committed, how early they were released or whether they were returned to prison.

Opposition spokeswoman Ella Haddad said the revelations were another confirmation the government was bungling its handling of corrections.

“The Gutwein Liberal government and Corrections Minister Elise Archer owe Tasmanians an honest explanation about why a worrying number of inmates at Risdon Prison were allowed to walk out of the gates before their sentences expired while others were kept locked up when they were entitled to be released,” she said.

Ms Haddad said five prisoners were incorrectly released early last year, one the year before and an additional prisoner had been allowed to leave Risdon before the expiry of his sentence just this year.

“Ms Archer has ultimate responsibility for Tasmania’s prisons – including the processes around releasing prisoners – and she needs to own up to how this could possibly happen,” Ms Haddad said.

“She needs to tell Tasmanians how these mistakes occurred and why the community’s safety was potentially put at risk.”

Ms Archer told the Mercury the incorrect release of a prisoner, while rare, was unacceptable.

“Ensuring incorrect releases do not happen is taken very seriously and I can assure Tasmanians that all necessary steps are being undertaken so this doesn’t happen again,” she said.

“This is why a new sentence management division has been established which is responsible for overseeing all sentence calculations and releases from custody. This is being implemented in phases with it being fully operational by late 2021.”

Tasmania’s prison system has a long history of releasing prisoners by mistake with seven inmates also let out by mistake between 2014 and 2016.

Ms Haddad was not impressed.

“Part of the problem, Ms Archer will tell Tasmanians, is that prison releases are still handled with an antiquated paper-based system.

“The government has announced a transition to what is hoped will be a more efficient system known as Justice Connect, but she needs to inform Tasmanians when it will be implemented and can she provide a guarantee it will prevent further bungles into the future.”