Prison system proven to be an expensive failure: Greg Barns

UPDATED: The state’s prison service costs a lot of money at the same time it is failing inmates, prison staff and the community, a long-time critic says in the wake of the leaking of a damning draft report.

• Leaked report slams Tasmania’s prison system
• Prison lockdowns a result of understaffing, report finds

TASMANIA’S jails are little more than expensive warehouses where criminals are left to languish before being released to offend again, the Prisoners Legal Service says.

The comments came after the leaking of a damning draft report from the Custodial Inspector which detailed systematic dysfunction within prison management.

Prisoners Legal Service spokesman Greg Barns SC said the system was broken.

Greg Barns.

“It’s extraordinary that the Custodial Inspector has to say the things that he says in 2020: no rehabilitation, continuous lockdowns and essentially just a warehousing of people at great expense and not doing anything to improve community safety,” he said.

“You have got to ask what is the point of the courts – knowing all this – continually sending people to jail for them simply to be warehoused for a few years.

“There is very little rehabilitation the Tasmanian prison system, it has always had a very high recidivism rate, the rate of people coming out of prison reoffending within two years is always over 40 per cent.

And the reason for that is because we don’t do anything to help people.”

Mr Barns said populist tough on crime policies cost didn’t work — nor did simply building more jails.

“If you build a prison in Westbury, and you simply translate the same model to Westbury. You just double the workload of the custodial inspector, and you double the size of the next report.”

Justice Minister Elise Archer said the government stood on its record.

“We make no apology for being tough on crime, and we are doing everything we can to ensure the safety and wellbeing of all TPS staff, inmates, and visitors to the state’s correctional facilities, while providing vital opportunities for inmate rehabilitation and reintegration,” she said.

“While successive Labor and Labor-Green Governments took a Band-Aid approach to dealing with the many complex issues that confront any prison environment, we are working hard to find long-term solutions.

“It’s important to remember that prior to the election of the Liberal Government there was no custodial inspector to provide advice and monitor service provision. We created the role to be able to continuously improve the prison service and that is why, once we receive the report, we will work hard to address issues and challenges.”

Opposition leader Rebecca White said the buck stopped with the Justice Minister.

Labor leader Rebecca White. Picture: RICHARD JUPE

“This is a damning report for the government and for Elise Archer, who has failed to take action over a number of years now, despite custodial reports providing the same findings and recommendations,” she said.

“It is putting the health and welfare of correctional officers at risk. It is putting the welfare of prisoners at risk. This is not a safe environment for anybody.

“It calls into question the leadership ability of Elise Archer, her ability to deliver appropriate services and protect the staff who work in that high-risk environment.”

And Greens corrections spokeswoman Rosalie Woodruff agreed.

“We have a poorly managed, severely over crowded prison system, nowhere near enough rehabilitation programs, and conditions that are lacking for staff and inmates alike,” she said,

“Under the Liberals, Tasmania’s corrections system is failing inmates, staff and the wider community.

“In fact, the Liberals’ law and order approach is making the community less safe.”

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