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
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