1 00:00:00,040 --> 00:00:02,160 Speaker 1: New stats this morning shows what an ugly placed prison 2 00:00:02,200 --> 00:00:05,120 Speaker 1: can be. We've got one thousand and eighty prisoner on 3 00:00:05,160 --> 00:00:07,080 Speaker 1: staff assaults in the past year. Is that a lot, Yes, 4 00:00:07,120 --> 00:00:08,920 Speaker 1: it is. It's more it's almost double what it was 5 00:00:08,920 --> 00:00:11,160 Speaker 1: in twenty seventeen. Twenty eighteen, that was the last time 6 00:00:11,400 --> 00:00:13,800 Speaker 1: the prison population was about where it is now. Lee 7 00:00:13,840 --> 00:00:16,640 Speaker 1: Marsh's the Corrections Custodial Services Commissioner and is with us. 8 00:00:16,720 --> 00:00:19,520 Speaker 1: Lee morning, Good morning, Marte. So you've got prisoner on 9 00:00:19,560 --> 00:00:21,840 Speaker 1: prisoner and prisoner on staff. I'm assuming you're more worried 10 00:00:21,840 --> 00:00:25,160 Speaker 1: about prisoner on staff. Is that what's materially changed if 11 00:00:25,160 --> 00:00:28,280 Speaker 1: you've got the same sort of population, what's materially changed 12 00:00:28,280 --> 00:00:29,240 Speaker 1: in terms of the violence. 13 00:00:30,200 --> 00:00:33,560 Speaker 2: Well, the population has changed incredibly over the last few years. 14 00:00:33,560 --> 00:00:36,239 Speaker 2: So whilst our overall net population is similar to what 15 00:00:36,320 --> 00:00:39,400 Speaker 2: it was in kind of twenty eight twenty nineteen, what 16 00:00:39,400 --> 00:00:43,680 Speaker 2: we're seeing is increasing gang membership and complexity of gang membership. 17 00:00:43,760 --> 00:00:46,600 Speaker 2: We're seeing a little more violence coming in off the 18 00:00:46,640 --> 00:00:49,000 Speaker 2: streets into our prisons. We're seeing the effects of meth 19 00:00:49,080 --> 00:00:52,360 Speaker 2: use within our communities and that sort of coming into 20 00:00:52,400 --> 00:00:53,080 Speaker 2: our prison. 21 00:00:52,920 --> 00:00:54,720 Speaker 1: Environment must be a hell of a job. 22 00:00:56,080 --> 00:00:59,280 Speaker 2: Well, I'll tell you what. Our officers are absolutely incredible. 23 00:00:59,520 --> 00:01:01,920 Speaker 2: They're dearly with the people that our courts say should 24 00:01:01,960 --> 00:01:03,800 Speaker 2: not be in the community, and they get up of 25 00:01:03,960 --> 00:01:05,959 Speaker 2: every day, come to work, and they deal with those 26 00:01:06,000 --> 00:01:08,960 Speaker 2: people in our prisons, trying to effect change to make 27 00:01:08,959 --> 00:01:11,360 Speaker 2: sure they get outsafe, and they do an absolutely incredible job. 28 00:01:11,520 --> 00:01:14,680 Speaker 1: All that stuff we've talked about before, body cameras and stuff. 29 00:01:14,680 --> 00:01:16,400 Speaker 1: Has any of that helped materially? 30 00:01:17,480 --> 00:01:19,400 Speaker 2: I think it as I truly believe it has. If 31 00:01:19,440 --> 00:01:21,800 Speaker 2: we look at the assault stats, there's a little bit 32 00:01:21,840 --> 00:01:24,360 Speaker 2: in the numbers there. So while the net numbers has increased, 33 00:01:24,360 --> 00:01:26,800 Speaker 2: we've done an incredible amount of work alongside our union 34 00:01:26,880 --> 00:01:31,640 Speaker 2: partners to improve not only the safety equipment, but the reporting. 35 00:01:31,640 --> 00:01:33,679 Speaker 2: We want to send a clear message that any violence 36 00:01:33,720 --> 00:01:37,360 Speaker 2: against our staff is not tolerated, and so this encouragement 37 00:01:37,400 --> 00:01:41,080 Speaker 2: of reporting has seen a significant increase in the reporting 38 00:01:41,160 --> 00:01:43,960 Speaker 2: of non injury assaults, and that's where the biggest number lies. 39 00:01:44,000 --> 00:01:46,720 Speaker 2: So our serious assaults have actually gone down good. We're 40 00:01:46,760 --> 00:01:49,240 Speaker 2: actually seeing a reduction in the use of things like weapons. 41 00:01:50,160 --> 00:01:52,840 Speaker 2: We are seeing an increase in prison on prisoner kind 42 00:01:52,840 --> 00:01:55,800 Speaker 2: of pack assaults and that's gang related really, but the 43 00:01:55,840 --> 00:01:58,160 Speaker 2: majority of this increase, In fact, the bulk of this 44 00:01:58,280 --> 00:02:00,640 Speaker 2: increase that's caused the net but to go up is 45 00:02:00,640 --> 00:02:03,560 Speaker 2: actually non injury assaults, and they're basically a bit of 46 00:02:03,560 --> 00:02:05,240 Speaker 2: a push or a shover, or a cup of water 47 00:02:05,320 --> 00:02:06,960 Speaker 2: being thrown or an apple being thrown at you, that 48 00:02:07,000 --> 00:02:07,360 Speaker 2: sort of. 49 00:02:07,280 --> 00:02:09,560 Speaker 1: Thing, right, And does it affect recruiting? 50 00:02:10,880 --> 00:02:13,480 Speaker 2: Our recruiting has gone incredibly well. We've still got cues 51 00:02:13,520 --> 00:02:15,320 Speaker 2: of people wanting to come and join us. We offer 52 00:02:15,360 --> 00:02:19,160 Speaker 2: a fantastic career, a very rewarding career. Our turnover is 53 00:02:19,200 --> 00:02:21,680 Speaker 2: over halved in the last couple of years, and I 54 00:02:21,680 --> 00:02:23,679 Speaker 2: think we've had well in excess of one hundred and 55 00:02:23,680 --> 00:02:26,920 Speaker 2: thirty thousand applications since our latest campaign launched in twenty 56 00:02:26,919 --> 00:02:27,359 Speaker 2: twenty four. 57 00:02:27,440 --> 00:02:29,960 Speaker 1: Good good stuff, Lee Nisens, Lee Marsh see not all 58 00:02:30,000 --> 00:02:32,840 Speaker 1: bad news corrections. Custodial Services Commissioner with us this morning. 59 00:02:33,280 --> 00:02:36,200 Speaker 2: For more from the mic Asking Breakfast, listen live to 60 00:02:36,280 --> 00:02:39,360 Speaker 2: news talks. It'd be from six am weekdays, or follow 61 00:02:39,400 --> 00:02:40,920 Speaker 2: the podcast on iHeartRadio.