Data reveals 119 Queensland prisoners charged with assault, despite 400+ incidents

Urgent calls are being made for more to be done to protect corrections officers after shocking new data revealed the harsh reality of their working lives behind bars.

Hundreds of prisoners are getting away with assaulting Queensland prison officers without any punishment, new data reveals, sparking calls for more to be done to protect corrections officers.

The revelations are the latest in a saga of scandals involving prisoners, after The Courier-Mail revealed the dire state of overcrowding in North Queensland watch houses, and how a prisoner was flown to court in a private jet costing $35,000.

The Courier-Mail can reveal 119 prisoners were charged with assaulting a corrections officer in the last financial year, despite almost 500 assaults on officers.

Opposition spokesman for Corrective Services Dale Last said corrections staff were being treated like “punching bags” and prisoners were getting off scot-free.

“That means that, for every three assaults on staff, two offenders get off scot-free,” Mr Last said.

“Not only do these figures show that corrections staff are being treated as punching bags, they prove that offenders are not being held to account.”

Prison officers were assaulted almost 500 times across Queensland in the last financial year, but only 119 prisoners were charged.

Data from a recent Question on Notice showed 119 prisoners were charged with assaulting a corrections worker in the 2022-23 financial year – an increase of 70 per cent since 2018-19.

Commissioner Paul Stewart revealed in Estimates in August that almost 500 assaults had been carried out against officers in the same time frame – 11 serious assaults, 92 assaults, and 385 “other” assaults.

Mr Stewart said officers report incidents to the corrective services investigation unit, which look into the assaults and “make a determination” on whether charges should be laid.

Together Union assistant branch secretary Michael Thomas said he was concerned about the disparity.

Inmates moving from one section to another at the Maryborough Correctional Centre

“Our members do recognise the government has done some good work … but the fact we are seeing this number of assaults still going without charges being laid shows that more needs to be done,” Mr Thomas said.

“Our members are very concerned about their safety at work, like every other worker, they are entitled to go to work and come home safe.

“One assault on an officer is too many and corrective officers deserve to have their employer have their back.”

In 2020, the government passed laws to increase the maximum penalty for serious assaults on corrective officers to 14 years’ jail.

Opposition spokesman for Corrective Services Dale Last

Mr Last said those laws meant nothing if people weren’t being charged.

“Each year more and more corrections staff are being hurt at work and suffering more and more serious injuries.

“With a government who won’t even ensure prisoners are charged when they assault staff, is it any wonder?”

Corrective Services Minister Mark Ryan said he took the safety of officers seriously.

“It’s entirely unacceptable for a custodial officer to be assaulted, and I condemn any instance of violence in the strongest terms,” Mr Ryan said.

“The government takes the safety of custodial officers extremely seriously, and that is why the

government has increased penalties for serious assaults, funded more safety equipment and

supported more training.

“These commitments now mean that Queensland’s custodial officers are among the best trained and best equipped in Australasia.”

Queensland Corrective Services records all assaults, including those which don’t lead to charges, and prisoners face internal disciplinary action.

Originally published as Data reveals 119 Queensland prisoners charged with assault, despite 400+ incidents