News Flash

The Public Service Association (PSA) has been actively involved in what the Department for Correctional Services considers a consultative process for the commissioning and resourcing of the new 36 Bed Low Security Unit at Pt Lincoln Prison.

Whilst DCS have been working with the PSA and its representatives in regard to the commissioning of the LSU unit a number of issues remain unresolved. DCS has as part of the process presented a resourcing model that is well below safe operating standards.

DCS has also indicated it is prepared to reduce operating standards by reducing the frequency of prisoner counts from 2 hourly to 4 hourly. This would mean that the LSU unit at Pt Lincoln would become the only State run facility with reduced head counts. The PSA highlighted to DCS that this is against the 1991 recommendations of the Royal Commission into Deaths in Custody. DCS has indicated it is happy to compromise its standards.

Furthermore the reduction in prisoner counts could place staff at the institution at risk of scrutiny should an incident occur. This position is unacceptable to the PSA. Effectively this digression in standards could mean that a prisoner absconding from the Low Security Unit, which can not be secured due to the lack of toilet facilities in accommodation areas, may not be discovered for 4 hours. This represents a clear risk to DCS, Correctional Officers and the local community. Furthermore DCS has demonstrated its willingness to staff the unit, and indeed the prison with minimal staff to meet its budgetary targets. DCS presented a staffing model that was totally inadequate and comes with obvious safety and security risks.

The proposed LSU also comes with some obvious design faults which the PSA has continually objected too, only to be informed that the design is set. The $5 million steel frame construction does not include air conditioning in the accommodation areas, including an 8 bed dormitory for aged prisoners. This decision further places staff at risk when the inmates are forced to endure extreme temperatures. 

DCS has also accepted a design that does not include toilet facilities in the main accommodation cells, which prohibits staff from effectively containing the inmates in the unit, this also encourages association in shared toilet and shower facilities which creates a further risk to prisoners and ultimately staff. DCS has committed to a $5 million tin shed with no self contained toilet facilities and no air conditioning in cells and shared accommodation.

The PSA has also made it clear that the practice of non-custodial staff, that is Administrative Officers having to supervise Prisoner labour is unacceptable. However DCS is prepared to jeopardise its employees safety and indeed the safety of the community and allow the practice to continue. At present an Administrative Officer, not custodial trained, supervises a prisoner  loading and unloading goods outside the confines of the main prison. Should the prisoner  abscond or pass on prohibited items through the store facility the Administrative Officer is powerless to act.

The PSA has also raised concerns with DCS's recruitment strategy. DCS has committed to staffing the facility with new inexperienced recruits. This strategy is against previous principles which limit the facility having unacceptably high numbers of trainee and inexperienced Officers. There has been a lot of attention in recent times regarding new inexperienced workers placed in positions or jobs without appropriate training and supervision. The Prison environment is definitely no exception to this issue. It is widely recognised that inexperienced and new workers are at greater risk in their initial stages of employment. Again DCS is prepared to compromise the safety standards of its operations. The PSA will continue to address these issues and work to ensure that safety standards and operational standards are not compromised at the peril of its members and the community.

PSA SUPPORTING CORRECTIONAL SERVICES EMPLOYEES

27 May 2010