Jail guards attacked four times in a week
CORRECTIONAL officers have been the target of four separate attacks in the past week, the Sunday Territorian can reveal.
This is on top of the nine sexual and physical assaults, 67 other level one incidents and 1388 level two incidents in the year to August.
A level one incident can include assaults, attempted escapes, bomb threats, firearm discharges and hostage situations; while a level two incident includes hunger strikes, injuries, non-serious assaults which ended with no injuries, and threatening behaviours.
Corrections officers are in negotiations over a new EBA and will strike for four hours on Friday. In particular they’re fighting for minimum safe staffing levels.
One officer, who asked not to be named for fear of losing his job, said last week’s assaults all occurred in the pris- on’s high security section.
“They’ve all happened within sector five — that’s where all your high security, problem child and separate confinements are,” he said.
“The number of prisoners is growing rapidly but unfortunately the facilities and the staff levels remain the same. This creates an overcrowded, high stress and dangerous working environment.”
Opposition deputy leader Lia Finocchiaro said the numbers were unacceptable.
“These shocking statistics reinforce the dangerous and unpredictable nature of the Territory’s corrections facilities and the importance of properly staffing the Territory’s prisons,” she said.
“It is baffling, given the challenging and dangerous working environment, that the Labor Government has failed to negotiate a wage deal for the corrections officers.”
A Correctional Services spokeswoman said safety was the first priority for the sys- tem. “NT Correctional Services has a zero tolerance approach to any assaults and deals with them promptly and, when verified by a police investigation, has no hesitation in following through with criminal charges,” she said.
“The Commissioner is reviewing all operational procedures, policies, training and operational deployment tactics to ensure the centres are operating safely and effectively.”