Monday, November 28, 2005

Jail staff sexual assaults and drugs

NSW Prison staff have been accused of attacking and sexually assaulting 38 NSW inmates in the past year, new figures show.

Minister for Justice Tony Kelly said there had been 30 reports of alleged assaults by custodial staff and eight alleged sexual assaults.

Responses to questions on notice from a Budget Estimates hearing also revealed drugs and alcohol have been a problem plaguing NSW jails over the past year.

Ten prison officers have been dismissed for drunkenness or disciplinary reasons in the past 12 months and three had their contracts terminated for drug use. A further 18 staff members were referred for alcohol counselling.

Greens MLC Lee Rhiannon called on Mr Kelly to disclose whether these allegations of assault were being investigated.

"There have been a disturbing large number of allegations of assaults and sexual assaults committed by prison staff on inmates in NSW jails," she said. "I have asked the Minister what investigations have been undertaken into these allegations. Where assaults have occurred surely all Corrective Services staff who have been involved in these attacks should be banned from any interactions with prisoners."

Opposition justice spokesman Andrew Humpherson said prison staff who allegedly committed the assaults should be punished. [?]

"The fact there has been little action taken against staff for the alleged assaults suggests that the Government is happy to allow a culture of violence to be maintained in NSW prisons," he said.

"It's innocent citizens who will be the victims once these offenders are released from jail.

"There is a responsibility on government to ensure that the prison system is not creating hardened criminals who, upon release, will go and perpetrate further crime."

Abuse within prisons makes prisoners more violent upon release

The Australian public was confronted with similar accusations during 1978 when the NSW Royal Commission into Prisons headed by Justice Nagle found that the NSW Department of Corrective Services and its Ministers of both political persuasions had unofficially sanctioned the systematic brutalisation of prisoners at Grafton Jail from 1943 to 1976. A former Grafton prison guard, John Pettit, testified to the extent of that brutalisation:

By injustice posted 28 November 05

REPORT: NSW Department of Corrective Services 2004

Drug Free Centre, Pat Down Searches, Claims For Compensation, Public Relations And Media, Assaults, Complaints About Assaults, Taxi Fares, Private Prisons, and Toxic Waste At Silverwater Jail.

REPORT: NSW Department of Corrective Services 2004

Recidivism: The Hon Peter Breen: Is it the case that New South Wales has the highest prisoner recidivism in Australia? 6 Month sentences: The Hon Peter Breen: Do you agree with abolishing short-term sentences?

REPORT: NSW Department of Corrective Services 2004

Gender, Bullying and Harassment: Why do women leave the department five times the rate of male employees?

REPORT: NSW Department of Corrective Services 2004

BUDGET, ASSETS? AND PRISONER STATE: In 2004-05 financial year, the total expenses of Department of Corrective Services Totalled $705.3 million.

Related:

Inquest into the death in custody of Scott Simpson
On the first day of the inquest into the death of a prisoner Scott Simpson, then 36, who was found hanging in his segregation cell [solitary confinement cell] at Long Bay jail in 12-wing area 2, at approximately 8.45 pm on 7 June 2004, the court heard evidence that there was a bureaucratic problem that may have led to his death.

Workers exploit NSW prisons: Daily Terror?
A WARNING that 'workers' and in this case a Muslim 'preacher' allegedly disguised as sleepers may have been 'planted' inside NSW jails as 'workers' with 'access to prisoners' was ignored by the State Government for more than four years says, the daily terror.

The journalist who's facing gaol for talking to a prisoner
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Pentridge Prison Memorial
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Darwin prison riot threat alert
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New rules in Goulburn prison
The following outline is provided as a guide to ensure a consistent and effective approach in dealing with charges and applying sanctions applicable to failed urine tests.

Custody as the challenge to corrections
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'A Nice Day Out' From Risdon Prison
Arranged for maximum-security prisoner 43637 Trustrum, Thomas Edward, by Justice Pierre W Slicer, Tasmania's Supreme Court human-rights an social-justice crusader.

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The reason the Richmond recommendations failed
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Prisoner total rises 15% in six years
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Adler punished for being in prison
NSW: Sydney businessman Rodney Adler has been transferred to a higher-security prison as punishment for allegedly attempting to conduct business activities from jail even though people are sent to prison for punishment not to be punished?

Department of Corrective Services fails to rehabilitate offenders
NSW: Unpopular people will be forced to wear tracking devices at a cost of $5,000 dollars per unit because the NSW Department of Corrective Services failed to rehabilitate those offenders at a cost of $65,000 a year while they were held in custody for many years.

Parole Board Membership
NSW: The Law Society is aware that two former long standing police officers Mr Robert Inkster, an Mr Peter Walsh, were appointed to the Parole Board as Community Members for a period of three years from 17 January 2005 until 16 January 2008.

Corrected or Corrupted
A psychiatrist from the prison Mental Health Team attached to Queensland Health made the comment that 25 per cent of inmates suffer from a diagnosed mental illness.

Tasmanian prison support visit
Prisoners from Risdon Prison and Prison Action & Reform (PAR) in Tasmania have requested support from the Australian Prisoners Union and Justice Action following the siege in the prison ending on May 9.

Prison Action & Reform challenge the Attorney General
Members of Prison Action & Reform are furious with the latest lies from the Attorney General -- Judy Jackson, and demand that she produce evidence to support her ludicrous claims.

Tasmania PAR banned from Risdon
Since then, she and other PAR volunteers, have brought to the public's attention scandalous and inhumane events that have occurred in the prison - which Judy Jackson would have otherwise covered up.

Chronology of a Tasmanian Prison System: A Documented Report
We believe that the people of Tasmania - both victims of crime and the general public - have the right to know that the Tasmania Prison Service is delivering a humane and just system of containment that is conducive to the reintegration of inmates back into Tasmanian society.

Association for the Prevention of Torture
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PRISON ACTION & REFORM INC: Tas Prison Complaints
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MISTREATED IN CUSTODY - NO ACCOUNTABILTY
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ICOPA XI International Conference on Penal Abolition
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Ex-Prisoner Locked Out of Prison
The NSW Department of Corrective Services (DCS) has revealed a policy which bans ex-prisoners from entering prisons.

Justice Action: Access to our community
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Risdon prisoners' seize prison to protest mistreatment
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No Safe Place
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MORE PRISONERS LOCKDOWNS HAVE OFFICERS ON EDGE
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Tough line on crime fills jails
The tough law-and-order policies of governments around the nation are behind an explosion in the prison population by almost 80 per cent in the past two decades.

FAMILIES OF PRISONERS FORUM
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Parklea Prison: No calls for six days
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Prison visits in crisis in NSW
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Prison boom will prove a social bust
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The prison system requires assiduous oversight
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Crime and Punishment
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People: 'Prisoners' of Drugs'
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Justice Denied In NSW Corrective Services
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Prison guards test positive for drugs
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On the treatment of prisoners at the NSW HRMU
A prisoner's sister's letter, from her brother: Following our phone conversation some weeks ago I would like to set out a few points on the treatment of prisoners in the High Risk Management Unit at Goulburn (Super Max) (Guantanamo Bay). Brother: When you first arrive at Goulburn Super Max Jail you are taken to wing 7. That is after you are stripped searched and given new cloths, underwear and shoes, which don't fit properly.

Review of Justice Ministers claims about conditions at HRMU
Minister for Justice John Hatzistergos stated on 15 July 2003 concerning the prisoners at the High Risk Management Unit at Goulbourn.[Prisoners held in solitary confinement and tortured endlessly in a Supermax Prison at Goulburn.]

NSW PRISON CORRUPTION AT THE HRMU
The High Risk Management Unit at Goulburn [Solitary Confinement Supermax, Torture, Gulag,] alleged to have been the first Australian jail of the 21st century and the most secure in the Southern Hemisphere (it was claimed in an article SMH 14 May 2001).

NSW prison visitors banned from using the toilet
The New South Wales Government has introduced several initiatives to stop contraband getting into prisons they said last Friday. But under the guise of "stricter rules" the department had also introduced banning all visitors including children from using the toilet unless they terminate their visit at any NSW prison after using the toilet.

Watchdogs slaughtered in NSW
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Lithgow prisoners speak out about rations

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Sexual Abuse: Testimony
I'm Debbie Ingraham, and I'm an activist for Restorative Justice. I'm also a former litigant who filed an unsuccessful civil suit against a family member for incest, and a former victim advocate. I bring a 30 year personal perspective of "real life" experiences that come from living with the effects of sexual abuse.

Junee Prison, NSW Parliament and Noble Cause Corruption
I have not been charged with any offence. The first thing I knew was when they (the Intel officer) at Junee had me called to reception. I was then told that I was going to segregation for good order and discipline.

Hatzistergos: The Daily Telegraph's prison mates
Who convinced a prisoner on periodic detention to take a mobile phone into prison to take a photo of Rene Rivkin? The prisoner said no and contacted the Daily Terror to say no.

Carr defends prison handling of political PRISONER
Bob Carr should be ashamed of himself after giving the prisons Commissioner Rotten Ron Woodham another filthy job setting up Phuong Ngo as one of the most dangerous prisoners in the State.

DCS: Protection gangs? - Ngo exploited in prison
New South Wales prison officials claim to have disbanded a gang in the Lithgow jail set up to protect convicted murderer, Phuong Ngo.

Goulburn Solitary Confinement: Midnight Special
If you ever go to Goulburn HRMU yeah, you better walk right, you'd better not breathe and sure thing better not fight. The next thing you know the SCU gonna arrest you and Rotten Ron send you down and you can bet your bottom dollar Lord, you'll be chaingang bound.

NSW prisons - primary industry bailed up!
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NSW Parliament Bitter Pills To Swallow?
One delusion pill: So people who investigate their own mistakes make sure there was no mistake or someone else made the mistake. Perhaps you're not biased and you will be honest about it.

The Government is likely to abolish the Inspector General of Corrective Services position The Mulawa inspection report recommendations below strictly illustrate how important he is.

Black Nexus
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Prison Mind Games-Do they exist?
Directives are given inside the prison system that are not consistent with the law in NSW. And not in the good interests of the health and well being of the prisoners.

Chronology - A History of Australian Prisons
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