More prisons will not promote community safety: UQ lecturer

A new report launched today by a University of Queensland academic argues that in many ways, imprisoning people undermines community safety.

Tamara Walsh, Lecturer in Law in UQ’s TC Beirne School of Law, is the author of the report entitled Incorrections II: Correcting Government.

Ms Walsh said the launch of the new report coincided with the Queensland Government’s announcement that it is planning to build a new 4000 bed prison in Queensland.

“International best practice suggests that prison should be a punishment of last resort,” she said.

“Many ex-prisoners who took part in my study reported that they left prison in an even more precarious emotional and economic state than when they were admitted.

“My research also shows that most prisoners are serving short sentences for petty crimes, which makes prison an inappropriate penalty in many cases.

“The report demonstrates that prisoners should be released from prison gradually. It shows that community safety is best promoted by ensuring that prisoners are supervised when they are released. For example, prisoners should be released to home detention or facilities where they can work in the community under supervision.

“It is unfortunate, therefore, that the Minister has announced that home detention and the release to work program are to be abolished in Queensland.”

Ms Walsh said if a new prison was indeed to be built, her research suggested the following features should be included, to accord with international best practice:

• purpose-built units to enable mothers in prison to have their young children accommodated with them in a child-friendly environment;
• therapeutic units for prisoners with mental illness;
• therapeutic units in which prisoners can receive treatment for drug addiction; and
• well-resourced education facilities so that prisoners can develop skills to assist in their rehabilitation and to improve their job prospects upon release.

Ms Walsh said her report stated that any linkages formed with local employers through the prison industry program should lead to real opportunities for prisoners to be employed in the community on their release.

“Prison industry work is useless unless it leads to post-release employment or marketable skills,” Ms Walsh said.

The new report is a follow-up to the original Incorrections report on prisons released in November 2004.