Australian Human Rights Commission Information for LOIPR - Australia, 27 June 2016 Committee’s attention to the Report of the Senate inquiry, in particular the recommendation to the Australian Government to work with state and territory governments on the implementation of initiatives to improve access to justice for people with disability contained in reports from the Australian Law Reform Commission, the Productivity Commission and the Commission’s report Equal Before the Law.46 54. The Commission’s report, Equal Before the Law,47 concluded that people with disabilities have higher rates of interaction with the criminal justice system than other Australians. The report cited 2012 statistics, which indicate that 38% of prison entrants reported they have ever been told by a doctor, psychiatrist, psychologist or nurse that they have a mental health disorder and 46% of prison discharges reported that they have ever been told they have a health condition – mental health, including drug and alcohol abuse. The report found that necessary supports and adjustments for people with disabilities were frequently not provided in the criminal justice system. 55. Issues for consideration in the LOIPR: 7.4 • Information on the Australian Government response to the Senate Inquiry report into Violence, abuse and neglect against people with disability in institutional and residential settings. • Information on the mental health care services provided within the criminal justice system. Deprivation of liberty – overcrowding Concluding Observations, para 11 Relevant provisions of the CAT: Articles 2, 11 and 16 56. The Commission raised the issue of overcrowding in prisons in the 2014 CAT Submission48 and the UPR submission.49 The Commission is concerned that there has been little improvement on this issue. 57. Issue for consideration in the LOIPR: Information on the current conditions and capacity of prisons within Australia. 7.5 Use of conducted energy weapons - Tasers Concluding Observations, para 13 Relevant provision of the CAT: Articles 2, 12, 13, 14 and 16 58. The Commission raises the issue of inappropriate use of Tasers generally and the disproportionate use of Tasers against Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples in the 2014 CAT Submission. 50 59. Issue for consideration in the LOIPR: Information on whether uniform national rules governing the use of Tasers has been adopted and whether the use is prohibited on children and pregnant women. 11