Australian Human Rights Commission
Current issues and good practices in prison management, 16 November 2023
Contents
1
Introduction ............................................................................................... 2
2
Adult custodial corrections system ......................................................... 3
2.1
High numbers of incarceration ................................................................ 3
2.2
Limited opportunities for rehabilitation and preparation for release ... 4
2.3
First Nations overrepresentation ............................................................ 5
2.4
First Nations deaths in custody ............................................................... 7
2.5
Overrepresentation of people with disability ......................................... 9
2.6
Fitness to be tried and indefinite detention ......................................... 10
3
Youth justice system ............................................................................... 10
3.1
Criminal age of responsibility................................................................ 12
3.2
Children and young people detained in adult facilities ........................ 14
4
Detention practices of concern .............................................................. 15
4.1
Use of spit hoods.................................................................................... 15
4.2
Routine strip searching .......................................................................... 17
4.3
Solitary confinement ............................................................................. 18
5
Independent oversight of prisons and youth detention ..................... 21
1
Introduction
1. The Australian Human Rights Commission (Commission) welcomes the
opportunity to provide this submission to the United Nations Special
Rapporteur on Torture’s consultation on her fourth report focusing on
current issues and good practices in the management of prisons, including
pre-trial detention facilities.1
2. The Commission is Australia’s National Human Rights Institution, with
recognised independent status and roles in United Nations human rights
fora. The Commission’s purpose is to provide independent and impartial
services to promote and protect human rights and fundamental freedoms.
3. The Commission undertakes a range of policy development and research
tasks that aim to promote compliance with Australia’s human rights
obligations, while also investigating and conciliating complaints of unlawful
discrimination and breaches of human rights.
4. From the outset, the Commission wishes to stress that due to time
constraints, this submission provides a summary of some issues of concern
within Australia; and does not constitute an in-depth assessment covering
every aspect relevant to the Special Rapporteur’s thematic investigation.
2