Why jail isn’t stopping DV offenders from getting to victims
Recent court cases have seen prisoners charged with contacting and abusing their former partners
Fraser Coast
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EVEN when their former partner is locked behind bars, some domestic violence victims aren't safe from abuse.
Several cases have been heard before Fraser Coast courts in recent times, including one matter in which the man told his former partner "don't worry, you'll be dead soon. I'll be out".
In September Maryborough Magistrates Court heard despite a no-contact condition in the order, he added his former partner to his contact list under a false name.
He made 34 calls to her and was able to speak to her and their children.
But during one of the calls, he became abusive, accusing the woman of having a new partner.
The fake name was uncovered during an audit of the jail's contact lists.
This week another man pleaded guilty to making abusive calls while in custody.
Maryborough Magistrates Court heard the man had made phone calls to the victim and to a mutual friend, with the calls being heard by the victim.
Some of the calls contained threats of violence and threats to damage property.
Both men received prison sentences.
A spokesman from Queensland Corrective Services said systems were in place monitoring prisoner phone calls and mail to try to prevent such incidents.
"Protecting the victims of crime from further trauma is a priority for Queensland Corrective Services, and we have a range of processes in place to try to prevent prisoners from contacting their victims," he said.
"If QCS finds information suggesting a prisoner has contacted a victim unlawfully, this information is referred to the Queensland Police Service for investigation and possible further charges.
The spokesman said prisoners had to apply for contacts to be added to their phone list and, if QCS holds information that there is a no-contact DVO in place, the addition will not be approved.
"Similarly, prisoner mail to the aggrieved in a non-contact DVO will not be progressed.
"Outgoing prisoner mail is stamped with a correctional facility stamp so that recipients can, if necessary, refuse to open the mail and return to sender," he said.
"We presently manage more than 9300 prisoners in prisons across Queensland, more prisoners than at any time in the history of Queensland.
"In the course of a year, there are tens of thousands of movements both into and out of and well as between various prisons.
"This adds to the complexity of our challenge in managing this behaviour, however where prisoners attempt to circumvent these processes, by using third parties to pass on messages or letters for instance, we work with the aggrieved and Queensland Police to address the behaviour."
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