Drug & Alcohol Treatment in Prisons

Media release – Elise Archer, Minister for Corrections, 2 August 2021

Drug and alcohol treatment services continue within the TPS

Labor’s claims today that there are no alcohol and drug services being offered within Tasmania’s prison facilities are completely false and must be called out. As usual, Ella Haddad has her facts wrong.

The Tasmania Prison Service (TPS) is committed to providing evidenced-based drug and alcohol treatment to offenders, including the development and delivery of the Alcohol and Drug Treatment Program (ADTP) which has previously operated in the Apsley Unit.

The TPS is working towards a transfer of the ADTP to the Ron Barwick Prison, to facilitate a larger residential therapeutic program, specifically delivered to medium and minimum security rated prisoners. This expanded program will accommodate 34 participants (compared to the previous 10 places).

While this is being finalised, alcohol and other drug support services are in fact being provided to prisoners on a one on one basis, delivered by alcohol and drug counsellors as well as other therapeutic staff.

During the election, I committed to a further $500,000 per year for two years to fund five new therapeutic staff to work within the prison, with a focus primarily on alcohol and other drug interventions.

These staff will assist in coordinating the provision of a range of alcohol and other drug related interventions, counselling, crisis management and other treatment services as required.

We have already commenced the recruitment of these positions.

In addition to these new positions, I also committed an additional $1.5 million of funding towards rehabilitation programs which will be run over the next three years by Red Cross, Connect 42 and Dress for Success Hobart.

The TPS has also commenced a pilot of a new Dialectical Behavioural Therapy (DBT) Program specifically to address the treatment needs of female prisoners in the Mary Hutchinson Women’s Prison. This program is being used to support female prisoners to address their offending behaviour, including their problematic use of alcohol and other drugs.

It is galling that Labor’s Shadow spokesperson shows so little respect for the hard working staff providing these supports and services within our prison system. Ms Haddad should check her facts first rather than play Labor’s continual petty politics.

Unlike Labor, I am committed to continuing the good work within our prison facilities by our hardworking staff, to ensure that these important services are available to prisoners when they need them most, and expanding the services offered.

Ella Haddad MP, Shadow Corrections Minister, 2 August 2021

Rehabilitation still not available as Archer continues spectacular prison failure

Attorney-General Elise Archer has run out of excuses about why drug and alcohol rehabilitation services are non-existent in Tasmania’s major prison on her watch.

Shadow Corrections Minister Ella Haddad said Ms Archer should tell Tasmanians immediately what she intends to do to restore access to rehabilitation in light of the latest damning report of the Tasmanian Custodial Inspector.

The Custodial Inspector’s 2020 Survey found that nearly one third of prisoners indicated they have developed a problem with illicit drugs or prescription medicine since they came into Risdon Prison.

“Not only are inmates reporting they are developing drug problems, many inmates are already facing addiction issues when they enter prison,” Ms Haddad said.

“Yet, there is no rehabilitation on offer making it more and more difficult for inmates to have any chance of not returning to prison after they have been released.

“The report also found that these services don’t exist because there is no space for them to exist.

“That comes back to Ms Archer’s appalling handling of the closure of the 10-bed Apsley unit more than two years ago. This was a highly sought-after unit which was producing good results.

“At first Tasmanians were told this unit was being closed for evaluation – which made no sense – and then we were told it was closed due to the need for social distancing during the COVID pandemic, which makes even less sense.

“This is a state-of-the-art unit with 10 separate cells and the fact is right now it is being used as an overflow area and is housing up to 20 inmates.

“It should be immediately reopened and used as a drug and alcohol rehabilitation facility and if Ms Archer is not prepared to do that, she needs to tell Tasmanians why she holds the rehabilitation of prisoners and the associated safety of prison staff in such poor regard.

“Ms Archer has countless reports on her desk which tell her in no uncertain terms that the prison is a spectacular failure on her watch but she seems OK to run a system where prison staff and inmates are being placed at daily risk because of truly abysmal conditions and an unacceptable lack of resources.

“Her refusal to act is a true mystery as the situation continues to go from bad to worse after the past seven years of this Liberal Government.”