The Northern Territory's corrections commissioner says he's put in place emergency measures across the prison system, including shifting prisoners, to cope with record overcrowding. The union is disputing the measures and it's advising members not to attend work on Monday if they feel unsafe.
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00:00A record 2,370 prisoners is pushing corrections to breaking point, according to the Commissioner.
00:10It's a busy and challenging time for corrections, we know that.
00:14We know that the criminal justice system in its entirety is under pressure.
00:18With more than 150 inmates in police watch houses across Darwin, Palmerston, Catherine
00:23and Alice Springs, new emergency measures have been declared to relieve the pressure.
00:28Among them, female prisoners are being flown from Alice Springs to Darwin to make way for
00:3440 male prisoners.
00:35And if I need to keep moving prisoners around the territory to rationalise across different
00:40sites we'll do that.
00:41The prison and watch house in Darwin will also receive extra prisoners to relieve pressure
00:47on watch houses elsewhere.
00:49Corrections says it's employing more staff than ever before, but the union estimates
00:54they're still 170 guards short.
00:57Prisoners are so concerned that riots could happen and the corrections have no contingencies
01:04put in place for any large scale riot or incident.
01:10They're advising guards who don't feel safe not to come to work.
01:14You are safe.
01:15I've said clearly to my staff when I've written to them every time this week and again yesterday
01:19and I'll write to them again today, our safety and our safety in operations and your safety
01:24is the number one priority.
01:25The commissioner says he's also working to alleviate concerns about conditions inside.
01:31I was in the prison today when I saw the crowding of prisoners, people lying on the floor, prisoners
01:37yelling out to me going, oh, they're putting more people in here, it's too hot.
01:42Don't let them put more people in here.
01:44I just can't imagine how it must have an impact on ladies and the anxiety that they're feeling
01:48right now knowing that they're going to be relocated 1500 kilometres away from their
01:52families.
01:53Police watch houses are routinely used to house inmates in the Northern Territory, with
01:58prisons operating above capacity for some time.
02:02The union says the government's treated corrections as an afterthought by rushing through changes
02:06to bail and mandatory sentencing laws.
02:09But the minister's blamed the previous government and says he's finalised a three-step plan
02:14for long-term infrastructure, rehabilitation and immediate relief.
02:18The commissioner says the measures are temporary until that relief has arrived.
02:23For more UN videos visit www.un.org