Prison guards should be randomly searched for drugs in a bid to address high rates of substance abuse among inmates and reduce violence, according to the NSW prison inspector.
Inspector of Custodial Services Fiona Rafter made the recommendation as part of a report on Cessnock and Shortland correctional centres, which are ranked among the state’s most dangerous jails. She said that in 2022, inmates were caught with drugs at a rate of twice a week.
Images of Cessnock and Shortland correctional centres from the Inspector of Custodial Services’ report, which recommends closing parts of the Cessnock site.Credit: Inspector of Custodial Services.
“There are a number of ways that contraband may be introduced to a correctional centre, including by inmates, visitors or staff or concealed in packaged goods,” Rafter wrote in the report.
Cessnock and Shortland correctional centres are both located within the Cessnock Correctional Complex in the Hunter Valley, 151 kilometres north-west of Sydney.
Shortland Correctional Centre had the highest rate of prisoner-on-prisoner violence of any prison in the state in 2022.
At one visit to the prison in May this year, prison staff told inspectors that assaults were still frequent and inmates were regularly escorted to the health centre for treatment.
“Later that day, a serious incident occurred in which a prisoner was allegedly stabbed by another prisoner,” the report said.
She said across the board, drugs in prisons caused erratic behaviour, the risk of overdose, standover, and assaults of people with unpaid drug debts.
Cessnock Correctional Centre.
“We heard that a number of staff were under suspicion of introducing drugs and were being monitored,” Rafter said.
The push to search guards is one of 91 recommendations made in the report. She said one section of the Cessnock prison was so unsafe, dilapidated and beyond repair that it should be closed.
Since March 2023, all personal visitors to correctional facilities have been subject to mandatory body scans before entry – provided the technology is available. Rafter noted that outside NSW, guards were strip-searched while using drug dogs was another option.
“The introduction of X-ray body scanning technology offers an opportunity for efficient and relatively non-invasive searches of staff to reduce the flow of contraband into correctional centres,” Rafter noted.
The case of Wayne Astill – a former policeman turned prison guard who has since been jailed for two decades for sexually assaulting nine women, including inmates – last year triggered the Astill inquiry. It probed widespread issues in NSW jails, including drugs, recommending additional screening measures for staff be put in place. In the past, unions and jail staff have opposed staff being searched for drugs.
The government has yet to formally respond to the inquiry’s recommendations.
NSW Corrections Minister Anoulack Chanthivong said work was under way to stop the spread of drugs in prisons.
“This includes a renewed focus on K-9 search capabilities for inmates, staff and visitors, as well as redesigning the systems in place to detect incoming contraband,” Chanthivong said.
“The overwhelming message from staff has been that they want to work with us to lift standards and restore confidence in this system.”
Start the day with a summary of the day’s most important and interesting stories, analysis and insights. Sign up for our Morning Edition newsletter.