Queensland Jails Overcrowded, Staff At Risk

Staff safety is at risk in two of Queensland’s private prisons, reveals study by a union, United Voice. An inquiry with more than 50 percent of the guards at Southern Queensland Correctional Centre and Arthur Gorrie Correctional Centre has recently revealed an alarming rise in the number of inmates.

One-fourth of the guards felt the management prioritised their safety. Just 10 percent believed there was enough staff to handle prisoners. The Queensland facility was housing 380 prisoners, 80 more than its designated capacity. Arthur Gorrie Correctional Centre with a capacity for 890 prisoners was congested with more than 1100 inmates. New South Wales has the maximum number of inmates, more than 10,000 and counting.

Fellows were doubled in rooms and this “in itself causes a stack of problems – it builds up tension,” said Mr. Clifford from the United Voice, according to The Australian. Since last year there has been upsurge in the number of assaults across Queensland prisons, some resulting in assaults on officers. There has been more than 40 percent increase in the assaults when compared to last year.

Despite increase in the number of prisoners in the last couple of years the state government has ignored the warnings. If this continues there will not be enough space to accommodate the inmates, officers revealed.

The increase in inmates could be attributed to the state’s strict stance on crime. There are more than 33,000 prisoners lodged in jails across Australia, says a 2014 Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) report, as stated in ABC. Prisons are barely able to handle the situation, and the prisoners are provided with extra beds and fold-out cots, reports indicate. Another alarming concern is the increase in the number of women involved in crimes, shoplifting and drugrelated issues.

Female convicts in jails in Australia have almost doubled in the last few years, according to an ABS report. Some of the inmates feel that overcrowding has an adverse impact on those who are willing to change.

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