PRISON OVERCROWDING CRISIS WORSENS DAILY.

Media Release.

 

Another day, another report of safety concerns at yet another of Queensland’s overcrowded jails.

Tim Mulherin, Deputy Opposition Leader, says the bungling Attorney-General Jarrod Bleijie must stop making excuses and address the crisis before someone is injured.

“In the past few months, correctional officers have highlighted serious overcrowding at a number of jails and staff who fear for their own safety have been so worried they have walked off the job recently at Lotus Glen near Cairns and at the Capricornia Correctional Centre in Rockhampton,” he said.

“Serious overcrowding has been reported at the Arthur Gorrie Correctional Centre, the Brisbane Women’s Correctional Centre in Wacol and at prisons in Townsville and Wolston."

“Now the Fraser Coast Chronicle has reported that Maryborough jail is now dangerously overcrowded and dozens of inmates there are being forced to share single cells and sleep on the floor."

“Staff have raised fears that agitated inmates will take out their frustrations on prison guards." Safety of prison staff must always be a priority.

“For months the Opposition has been warning that the Newman Government’s failure to plan ahead for the inevitable consequences of its hard-line mandatory sentencing policies and bikie laws, would push the number of prisoners beyond the system’s capacity."

“Overcrowding, and the closure of facilities such as prison dairies, workshops and rehabilitation programs means inmates are spending extended time in their cells."

“The Attorney-General is ignoring the warnings and, since August, the Newman Government has not published any information on the number of prisoners in Queensland jails."

“It is as if the LNP believes that if it keeps the statistics secret and refuses to acknowledge there is a problem, the issue will melt away."

“But it won’t. Queenslanders know that prison numbers are out of control and that neither Campbell Newman nor Jarrod Bleijie has a solution,” said Mr Mulherin.