NT Corrections breaks prison population records with 1% of Territorians locked up

NT Corrections boss has revealed the ‘challenges’ the Territory’s surging prison numbers have taken on the system. Read how they’re keeping up with demand.

The Territory’s prison population has once again broken its all-time record, with fears crime has surged beyond the capacity of the cells and staffing levels inside the jails.

The Corrections department confirmed 2233 Territorians were locked behind bars on Tuesday — meaning one per cent of the NT’s entire population was in prison after New Year’s Day.

This was the most people ever in prison at once in the Territory’s history.

There were 1371 people in Darwin Correctional Centre at Holtze — 323 more people than the prison was designed to hold — while Alice Springs recorded 680 people in its cells — 204 more than its design capacity.

Prisoners were also held at two police facilities in a ‘temporary’ measure that has continued for around 12 months.

On January 2, there were 40 prisoners held at the Darwin Police Watchhouse and another 13 people in Berrimah’s Peter McAulay Centre.

Another 50 people were at the Datjala Work Camp and 74 were at the Barkly Work Camp.

Corrections data said 40 per cent of Alice Springs prisoners were on remand — meaning they had not been sentenced — while nearly half of Holtze’s population had also not been found guilty of their charges.

In an exclusive sit-down with the NT News, Corrections Commissioner Matthew Varley raised his concerns about the increasing number of Territorians in his care with a 15 per cent increase to the prison’s population over just 12 months.

“That’s a large growth in any other comparable jurisdiction,” Mr Varley said.

NT Corrections Commissioner Matthew Varley. Picture: Pema Tamang Pakhrin

The prison boss said this had posed its “challenges”, with the centres having to build 246 extra male beds and 13 more female beds to keep pace with demand.

In Holtze prison the extra prisoners have primarily been managed by adding beds into pre-existing cells, however the need for beds has taken over other prison facilities including a recreation therapy building meant for vulnerable prisoners with severe mental health or cognitive disabilities.

Mr Varley said to keep up with demand the prison had built a 36-capacity low security village at the front of Darwin Correctional Centre, and there were plans for a 96-bed modular accommodation block in Alice Springs to be open by mid-2024, and a “rapid build demountable style” facility for 64 low-security beds out the front of Holtze this year.

But when asked if the Territory could build its way out of the growing prison population Mr Varley was frank.

“We need to do much more to divert people from prison,” he said.

“We don’t get to choose from the courts who comes to jail, that’s a decision for others.”

Mr Varley said one of his key aims was to address recidivism as 56.6 per cent of Territorians in prison had previously spent time in a correctional facility.

“There’s always going to be people who come to jail because they need to be in jail … but there are many others who come to jail who should go back to their lives with a better opportunity,” he said.

“An important part of that is making sure that when people leave prison, they have a better chance at either getting a job, building their life back, or getting employment and skills.”

Prisoners at the Holtze Correctional Centre undergo ongoing skill training throughout the Darwin prison, creating opportunities for these prisoners to find work during and outside of prison.

Corrections missed its training and education target for 2022-23, with only 44 per cent of eligible prisoners engaged in employment programs according to the Justice Department annual report.

The prisons also only delivered a third of its target for education and training programs hours, with 6487 offender program hours delivered — well below its 20,475 hour aim.

Mr Varley acknowledged that prisons were not doing enough to rehabilitate Territorians in their care, particularly with domestic and family violence.

With two-thirds of Territory prisoners behind bars due to domestic and gender-based violence charges, Mr Varley said he had reached out to organisations like Tangentyere and Charlie King’s No More Campaign to discuss new opportunities.

There were 1371 people in Darwin Correctional Centre at Holtze on January 2, 2024.

He also committed to building back the industries training centre capacity, for vocational skills, training in woodworking, metalworking and in the kitchen and laundry.

But Mr Varley acknowledged the toll the increased prisoner population had on his staff.

“I know they’re tired and the stress of the extra prisoner numbers has been tough over the last 12 months,” he said.

Mr Varley said rolling recruitment campaigns meant there was a net growth of up to 70 new staff in the past 12 months, but he was still struggling to get officers in Alice Springs.

“I would give another 50 or 60 correctional officers a job tomorrow in Alice Springs if I could find them.”

Originally published as NT Corrections breaks prison population records with 1% of Territorians locked up