Prisoner numbers soar: Inmates on the floor, fears of ‘tripling up’ in cells

Prisoner numbers in Queensland have soared in just over a decade, with fears inmates could soon “triple up” in cells.

Prisoner numbers in Queensland have soared in just over a decade, with fears inmates could soon “triple up” in cells.

New figures show the prisoner population has climbed to 10,328 inmates, who live out of 7546 cells, which is almost double the 2010-11 daily average number of 5527 prisoners.

A new 1500-bed mega jail is being built at Gatton but it’s unclear when it will open. It’s understood some staff who have been hired at the jail have been told to expect some delays.

Queensland Corrective Service figures show the state’s remand centre Arthur Gorrie jail has 1355 prisoners, 1002 “built beds” and 890 cells, meaning hundreds of prisoners are “doubling up” in a cell with many sleeping on mattresses on the floor.

Borallon jail is at 161 per cent capacity with 797 prisoners, 736 beds and 492 cells while Brisbane Correctional Centre is at 162 per cent capacity with 912 prisoners, 977 beds and 560 cells. Woodford, Wolston and Townsville jails are at more than 150 per cent capacity each.

All of the jails, other than Arthur Gorrie and Borallon, have surplus bunk beds. But it means thousands of prisoners across the state are sharing small rooms together.

The Arthur Gorrie Correctional Centre, west of Brisbane. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Dan Peled

It comes as the prisoner-on-prisoner assault rate was 10.94 per 100 prisoners in 2022-23, while the serious assault rate was 3.41. The assault rate for prisoners on officers was 0.93 per 100 while serious assaults were 0.11.

The average net operating cost per prisoner $240.81 in 2021-22, meaning taxpayers are spending almost $1b a year to keep them housed in jails.

Officers have raised concerns that soon some jails could be so full that three prisoners would be sharing a small cell.

Together Union assistant state secretary Michael Thomas, speaking on behalf of officers, said the ongoing overcrowding remained a significant concern for members.

“It’s clear now that it’s an enduring problem that isn’t going to be fixed simply by opening the Lockyer Valley Correctional Centre,” he said.

“We are also worried about capacity issues right now, any suggestion of three prisoners to cells originally designed for single occupancy has to be rejected out of hand, the safety and human rights issues make it unworkable. Our members simply will not accept it.”

Corrective Services Minister Nikki Boyd said capacity at correctional centres fluctuated daily and prisoners were discharged and received and moved between facilities.

“QCS has a range of strategies it uses and that doesn’t include three prisoners in a cell,” she said.

“No one wants to see that and QCS is continuing to manage capacity across the system in order to avoid this.”

Ms Boyd said when the new Gatton jail was opened, the government would have added an extra 6000 beds since 2015.

She said the jail was expected to open in the second half of 2024.