Incident just the tip of iceberg

THE error that led to a prisoner being detained for 66 days at the Lotus Glen Correctional Centre is the most common in Queensland’s criminal justice system.

A Queensland Audit Office report showed that between 2004-05 and 2015-16, there were 329 discharge and detention errors, including 238 prisoners unlawfully detained.

The QAO report, published in November last year, stated process and communication issues represented 73 per cent of errors, while incorrect data entry (15 per cent) and inaccurate sentence calculations (12 per cent) were also present.

The errors are present in less than 0.1 per cent of sentences.

Corrective Services Minister Mark Ryan said he considered any error unacceptable.

The report’s findings prompted the Government to re-establish the Lawful Detention Expert Reference Group, which includes Queensland Police, Corrective Services and the Courts Service.

The aim is “to ensure better information sharing between justice agencies to minimise administrative errors”.

The QAO report said the state average for unlawful detention was 15 days and ranged from one day to 313. QCS Commissioner Mark Rallings said the department was reviewing staffing, responsibilities and capabilities.