Opposition correctional services spokesman Stephan Knoll warns prison crowding will worsen
PRISON overcrowding is set to worsen when police cells used to hold extra inmates are closed for renovations from next month, the Opposition warns.
PRISON overcrowding is set to worsen when police cells used to hold extra inmates are closed for renovations from next month, the Opposition warns.
Between March and July the cell complexes at Port Adelaide and Elizabeth will be
closed for building works, taking 42 beds out of use.
Police Commissioner Grant Stevens also revealed to a parliamentary committee on Monday that SA Police would seek to reclaim some holding cells at the city watchouse — understood to house about 40 beds — which are currently being used by the Corrections Department for prisoners.
Mr Stevens said police had “held off doing these improvements for as long as we can” but they were now “unavoidable”.
Opposition correctional services spokesman Stephan Knoll said the cell closures would have “a domino effect” across the prison system.
There are currently more than 3000 prisoners in custody around the state, but only 2861 beds permanently available.
A further 114 surge beds are being used, as well as police holding cells.
“We are already using all of our approved capacity, all of our surge capacity and who knows where the rest of the prisoners are being housed,” Mr Knoll said.
“The last time the state actually had enough prisoner beds to manage the amount of prisoners we have in them was the 3rd of November 2011 — that’s over 5 years ago.
“Prisoners have instead been moved to watch houses as part of the surge capacity that will now need to be used to accommodate the closure of the Port Adelaide and Elizabeth cells.”
The Port Adelaide upgrade will take place from March 6 to April 14, followed by the works at Elizabeth from May 1 to July 28.
Correctional Services Minister Peter Malinauskas said an extra 270 prison beds were being added to the system this financial year, at a cost of $125 million.
Mr Malinauskas said the Government also was putting in place policies to reduce the number of people being repeatedly put behind bars.
“The Liberals complain that we need more prison beds, but then whinge at new investment in the system,” he said.
Last Wednesday, prisons across the state were temporarily placed into lockdown following a vote by members of the Public Service Association, which represents corrections staff.
The union is concerned that high risk prisoners are being housed at the medium-security Mobilong Prison.
The union remains in negotiations with the Corrections Department.