Northern Territory corrections system under scrutiny at DV

ABC NEWS (Australia)

The Northern Territory's corrections system has been under scrutiny today as a coronial inquiry into domestic and family violence continues in Darwin. A warning this story contains the names and images of Aboriginal women who have died.

Transcript

00:00 In the Northern Territory there are two prisons and the coroner heard today they're both running

00:06 at capacity and with a shortage of staff.

00:10 Commissioner Matthew Varley was called to the witness box today painting the coroner

00:14 a picture of what goes on behind the wire.

00:17 He revealed both the Darwin and Alice Springs prisons are currently at capacity with more

00:21 than 50 sentenced prisoners also being held in converted police watch houses.

00:27 He told the coroner both prisons are undergoing renovations to expand their capacity and recruitment

00:33 efforts are ongoing to try to build the workforce.

00:36 The court heard there's currently a shortfall of around 50 to 60 corrections officers in

00:41 Alice Springs alone.

00:44 Staffing and funding issues the coroner heard contribute to the prison's ability to offer

00:48 rehabilitation programs.

00:50 She heard at the moment there are four different kinds of rehabilitation programs available

00:56 to prisoners including long term and short term domestic violence specific programs.

01:01 But Commissioner Varley conceded not everyone who wants or needs to access them is able

01:07 to.

01:08 The coroner has heard each of the men who killed the four women at the centre of her

01:12 inquiry had previously committed domestic violence offences and each had been imprisoned.

01:18 Some had taken part in the rehabilitation programs whilst in custody.

01:24 Commissioner Elizabeth Armitage has previously told the court prison did not seem to be effective.

01:30 But the commissioner did outline a handful of new initiatives including bail supported

01:35 accommodation in both Darwin and Alice Springs as well as for the first time in 10 years

01:41 an injection into those rehabilitation programs which will ideally mean more prisoners can

01:47 access them.

01:48 [BLANK_AUDIO]

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