Victorian prisoners get sentences slashed for enduring Covid restrictions

Thousands of Victorian prisoners, including violent offenders and rapists, have had their sentences cut as compensation for enduring Covid restrictions.

Thousands of Victorian prisoners have had their sentences cut as compensation for enduring Covid restrictions.

New figures show 6649 prisoners had 202,102 days wiped from their sentences in the last financial year — or the equivalent of a combined 553 years — in large part because of the pandemic.

On average, prisoners across the state have had 30 days shaved off their sentences, ­almost double the average discount in August 2020.

Serious violent offenders ­including murderers and rapists are eligible for the Emergency Management Days sentencing discounts. They are given to prisoners who demonstrate good behaviour while suffering disruption or deprivation in jail, leading to reductions in their sentences.

Victoria is the only state that hands out the discounts to compensate prisoners for disruptions in which they are confined to their cells.

They are usually granted when prisoners are confined to their cells during industrial disputes and emergencies.

Shadow Minister for Corrections Brad Battin said the pandemic was no excuse to slash prison sentences. Picture: Andrew Henshaw

During the pandemic there has been a big increase in the number of emergency management days granted because of provisions in place to stop the virus spreading.

“Emergency management days have been used  since the  1990s to help maintain prison safety, security and good order during emergencies and significant disruptions,” a state government spokesman said.

“We have made a range of changes to the application of EMDs in Victoria over the last few years – including not granting them to prisoners who have been found guilty of violent extremism or those who demonstrate poor behaviour while in custody.

“Covid-19 isolations have played a critical role in protecting the security of prisons during the pandemic and the health and safety of prisoners, many of whom have existing medical conditions that would have made contracting the virus dangerous for their health.”

Opposition corrections spokesman Brad Battin said the pandemic was no excuse to slash prison sentences.

“When prisoners get decades slashed off their sentences but Victorians locked out of their own state can’t even get an apology, it’s clear Daniel Andrews’ priorities are all wrong,” he said.

“Victorian communities suffered the world’s longest lockdowns without any compensation; why should it be any different for our state’s worst offenders?”

There are currently about 120 Covid-19 positive people in Victorian prisons, including 114 prisoners in the general population and six prisoners among new arrivals.

In 2019 new laws were passed ensuring prisoners who caused or contributed to an emergency, riot or other security incident immediately became ineligible for EMDs.