‘Prison culture’ emerging in Australia’s immigration detention centres
A prison-like culture has emerged in immigration detention centres, with a criminal background in an overwhelming majority of detainees.
Police & Courts
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The vast majority of people in immigration detention centres have criminal records, which created a “prison-like culture”, a government report says.
Of the 1492 people in immigration detention across Australia as of June 30, 2021, 84 per cent had criminal histories.
“This cohort has resulted in the creation of a criminal and prison-like culture characterised by increased attempts to smuggle contraband into facilities (including illicit drugs) via varying methods, standover tactics and associated assaults,” the Department of Home Affairs’ annual report said.
The pandemic continued to pose significant challenges to traditional field compliance activities and to removal operations by Australian Border Force officials for things like visa overstays and cancellations.
“In 2020-21, there were 1034 removals from onshore immigration detention – a 68.5 per cent decrease from 2019-20,” the report said.
More than 250 critical incidents were recorded last year, including 195 cases of self-harm, 34 sexual assaults and 22 major disturbances.
Four deaths and four escapes also occurred in detention facilities, according to the report.
It said the pandemic was a key factor for major disturbances given the limited ability to remove detainees from Australia, suspension of in-person visits on public health advice and restrictions on detainee programs and activities.
More than 200 people were denied immigration clearance at the border, compared with 2274 in 2019-20 when travel was not affected by Covid restrictions for most of the year.
Last year 28 people with fraudulent documents or who were impostors were stopped from reaching Australia, potentially saving taxpayers millions of dollars.
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