NT prisons overflowing with mentally ill people found guilty of no crime

A CRITICAL shortage of secure care beds means people found not guilty due to mental impairment are languishing in Territory jails

THE Territory’s prisons are overflowing with mentally ill people due to a critical shortage of acute care beds, the Criminal Lawyers Association has warned

THE Territory’s prisons are overflowing with mentally ill people due to a critical shortage of acute care beds, the Criminal Lawyers Association has warned.

CLANT president Marty Aust said there were just 13 beds in the NT’s two 24-hour supported secure care facilities, which were the only places suitable to house people who had been found not guilty due to mental impairment.

Mr Aust said there were at least 19 mentally ill prisoners in NT jails despite not having been convicted of a crime – and as many as 30 awaiting the finalisation of their court matters – because the secure care facilities were full.

“Those facilities are at capacity and have waiting periods of up to two years,” he said.

“At best this is entirely unacceptable, at worst this is a dereliction of duty by the Department of Health.”

Indigenous people make up 84 per cent of the NT adult prison population and Mr Aust said a major reason was government failure to fund culturally and medically appropriate facilities.

Mr Aust also called on the Government to fund large capacity drug and alcohol residential rehabilitation centres in Darwin and regional townships as part of a push for “true generational change”.

Health Minister Natasha Fyles acknowledged there was “an increasing number of Territorians who are found unfit to plea” but did not say if the government would fund additional beds.

“Our government will ensure that there is continuous improvement in our management and treatment of persons with mental illness, cognitive disabilities and mental impairment, without compromising community safety or the rights of victims,” she said.

Ms Fyles said the government had signed up to national principles on people found unfit to plead or not guilty due to mental impairment.