Bid to free up jail space

PAROLE applications for more than 100 North Queensland prisoners will be assessed as a matter of “priority” to free up space in overcrowded jails.

As of Monday 10,237 people were locked up across the state, crammed into 7546 cells as Queensland’s Parole Board stares down the barrel of a 4000 case backlog.

Queensland Corrective Services Assistant Commissioner for the Central and Northern

Region Command Peter Shaddock was giving evidence at an inquest in Townsville when he told the court a request to prioritise the applications for a group of “low classification” prisoners was made to the parole board early last week.

Assistant Commissioner Shaddock said the request related to 115 prisoners in custody at Townsville Correctional Centre and Lotus Glen who are awaiting determination of their applications.

“We’ve made a direct request to the Queensland Parole Board last Monday through our commissioner,” he said.

“There is 115 low classification prisoners just in Lotus Glen and Townsville Correctional centres alone – we’ve asked for those persons to be a priority for the Queensland Parole Board.

“That will give us some system relief of 115 people if all were granted parole.”

Mr Shaddock said the two centres housed a combined 2070 prisoners with 496 active parole applications.

A spokesman for Queensland Corrective Services confirmed the Parole Board was processing the applications, including the 115 low custody prisoners in North Queensland.

“Parole Board Queensland is processing parole applications and prioritising matters for decision based on urgency,” he said.

The spokesman said QCS assessed prisoners against “strict criteria” to consider their suitability for placement in a low security environment like the Townsville Prison Farm.

He said anyone convicted of a sexual offence, murder or serving a life sentence was ineligible for low custody.

Minister for Corrective Services Mark Ryan said the government committed millions of dollars to prison infrastructure including the $241m expansion of Capricornia Correctional Centre, the $654m Southern Queensland Correctional Centre in the Lockyer Valley and additional funding to install more bunk beds in correctional centres.

“There is no guarantee any prisoner will get parole,” he said.

“The Parole Board Queensland is independent and makes decisions in the interests of community safety.”

Queensland Corrective Services has previously refused to confirm the exact number of active parole applications waiting to be heard but, Assistant Commissioner Shaddock told the court about 4000 applications were under the board’s consideration.