The CPSU Victoria notes that WorkSafe Victoria has issued charges against the Victorian Department of Justice and Community Safety (DJCS), following the serious assault of a prison officer at Barwon Prison in February 2022.

Without commenting on the specific detail of these charges, this development further demonstrates the unsafe and difficult working conditions regularly faced by our members. These charges serve as yet another warning sign that the Minister and DJCS must act to make prisons a safer workplace.

Prison officers and corrections staff do a difficult and often unseen job, and they do it in environments where there is a real risk of violence and, at times, serious injury. Our members tell us that assaults and threats are not rare events and are regularly encountered.

Current policy settings are placing the corrections system under significant pressure. There is already a shortage of staff, and the prison population is becoming more complex. 

Prison officers and corrections staff are working in a more challenging environment than ever before. Many people in custody have experienced trauma, have significant mental health needs, or are dealing with substance use. Officers are expected to manage that complexity while maintaining safety, security and good order.

If the system continues to experience growth in prisoner numbers without a corresponding increase in staffing, training and support, it becomes harder to maintain safe environments for both staff and people in custody. That has a real impact on morale, mental health and retention.

One of the challenges we are seeing is the high turnover of operational staff through burnout or being stood down through investigations post incident. Regularly staff do not feel adequately supported after an incident; and in many cases, it is not there at all.

A safe corrections system requires a whole-of-system approach, including proper resourcing of frontline staff. Managing those environments safely requires appropriate staffing levels, strong training, and robust policies and procedures that are suited to the specific risks of each facility.

It also requires stability in the workforce. Experienced staff, consistent teams, and strong working relationships are critical in preventing incidents from escalating.

Prison officers are working at the frontline of a demanding system, and need to be properly supported to do that work safely. 

CPSU Victoria media contact - media@cpsuvic.org