A report from the Queensland Productivity Commission into the State’s prison system and recidivism has recommended the Government establish an independent statutory body to improve the efficiency of the criminal justice system.
Responding to the 516-page report, Deputy Premier Jackie Trad said it was a comprehensive review into the options for dispensing justice in Queensland.
“The starting point is, and will always be, making the Queensland community safer,” Ms Trad said.
“The Productivity Commission report finds that as police detection of crimes improves, the prison population continues to grow, rising by more than 160 per cent per head of population since 1992.”
She said the report made some important recommendations on ways to maintain community safety while improving the criminal justice system.
The Minister said the report estimated that in order to address the growth in prison numbers, Queensland would need to allocate an additional $3.6 billion in the next five years to house an additional 4,200 prisoners.
“We’re already implementing a range of reforms to strengthen the criminal justice system, from our Action on Ice strategy to tackle the harm caused by crystal methamphetamine, to our Domestic and Family Violence Prevention Strategy, the establishment of a new Department of Youth Justice, and the construction of a new youth detention centre at Wacol,” Ms Trad said.
“Before we spend another $3 billion on prisons, we need to be absolutely certain doing so is the best way to make Queenslanders safer.”
She said the report suggested that there may be other ways to improve the system.
Among its recommendations was that the Government establish an independent statutory body (the Justice Reform Office) to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of the criminal justice system.
The 49-page report can be accessed at this PS News link.
