Reform thwarted at jail with ‘racist’ culture: inquest
A senior public servant faced barriers "way beyond what I imagined" when he tried to turn around a trouble-plagued youth detention centre.
prison
More prison for inmate who attacked guard with racquet
A prisoner told a judge the only way to protect his sobriety from drug dealers and users in prison was to assault a guard and be sent to punitive detention.
Bail for cleaner accused of hiding Isla Bell’s remains
A residential cleaner who allegedly transported the remains of Isla Bell in a fridge and helped conceal her death from police has been granted bail.
Rising rate of jailed Indigenous women rings alarm bell
Domestic and family violence, and insecure housing are among the issues driving up the numbers of Indigenous women in Australia's prison system, advocates say.
Indigenous incarceration in NSW is at a record high
One in 27 Aboriginal men are in custody in NSW, the highest proportion ever recorded.
High security centre to be ‘world’s best’ youth prison
A new 30-bed, $100 million youth detention facility will be "the best of its kind in the world", the WA Government says.
Review gun laws ‘so no one else has to go through it’
An urgent review of correctional officers' use of firearms has been recommended by an inquiry into the death of an Indigenous man shot while fleeing custody.
Stacks of prison punishments ‘unlawful, unjust’
Tina was awaiting trial when she asked for help with her drug problem. A damning report has found she was instead charged with failing a drug test.
‘Matter of time’ before 16-year-old boy died in custody
The prison watchdog has told an inquest for the first juvenile to die in WA detention he had raised concerns about detainees dying in custody.
Woman admits ‘hugely valuable’ prison drug smuggling
A court has accepted a sad tale behind the "terrible mistake" a woman made in trying to smuggle drugs that could have been worth $1 million into a prison.
Victoria to axe lucrative private prison deal early
Two prisons will close in Victoria with inmates moved to facilities including a $1.1 billion state-of-the-art prison that's been mothballed since 2022.
‘Postcard Bandit’ in legal bid for freedom from WA jail
The bank robber dubbed 'the Postcard Bandit' has launched legal proceedings in WA, asking a court to declare his prison sentence invalid and order his release.
More than $1 million in drugs seized at prison
Multiple people have been charged with attempting to smuggle drugs into a Queensland prison in the past two months.
‘Incompetent or corrupt’ to employ rapist prison guard
Prisons across NSW will be scrutinised by a task force after a scathing report condemned processes that allowed a guard to rape several inmates.
The world reacts to Alexei Navalny’s reported death
The Russian opposition leader and Putin critic reportedly died in jail after years of imprisonment, drawing global criticism towards the Kremlin.
‘No parole’ declaration for double murderer, rapist
A man sentenced to life behind bars for raping and murdering two girls in 1995 cannot apply for parole until May 2032 following a Parole Board declaration.
Crooked killer cop Roger Rogerson dying in hospital
Australia's most notorious crooked cop has been taken from prison to a Sydney hospital, where he is receiving end-of-life care.
Man acquitted of murder seeks $5.5 million from police
A man acquitted of a murder for which he spent years in jail has filed a lawsuit claiming police detectives ignored evidence and engaged in misconduct.
UN committee report slams Australia’s ‘inhuman’ prisons
Prisons and detention centres in Australia have been described as inhuman and degrading by a UN report that claims some cases may amount to torture.
Calls for change after 40 people die in police custody
More than 100 people died in custody during 2022-23, including 17 who were shot, latest data shows.
Indigenous kids over-represented in juvenile detention
Indigenous kids are grossly over-represented in juvenile detention and while reducing the numbers is a Closing the Gap target, the figures are getting worse.
Youth block of adult prison to shut after teen’s death
A high-security youth wing at an adult prison where Indigenous teenager Cleveland Dodd recently fatally self-harmed will be closed and replaced.
Long wait for justice ends as singer’s killer jailed
Paul Charlton has been sentenced to jail for the 2007 murder of girlfriend Joanne Howell in what the judge described as an extreme act of domestic violence.
Harmful and costly prisons ‘failing to reduce crime’
South Australia's incarceration rate jumped by almost a third in the past decade, leading advocates to call for a rethink on the role of prisons in society.
Three men escape from Queensland prison
The search is on for three men who escaped from a prison in north Queensland.
‘Unlikely prisoner’ tells remarkable story of survival
Australian economist Sean Turnell became an unlikely prisoner when convicted of being a spy by the Myanmar military but optimism kept hopes of freedom alive.
Two men on the run after escaping prison
Authorities are searching for two men who absconded from a correctional centre in Townsville on Sunday.
Hundreds rally after Indigenous teen’s death in custody
Hundreds of people have gathered to call for justice after the death of an Indigenous teen who self-harmed in the youth wing of an adult prison.
‘Our boy deserved a future’: Indigenous teen’s family
The death of an Indigenous teenager in a prison cell has been described as preventable, as pressure mounts to close the controversial high-security facility.
Man who decapitated teen blocked from seeking parole
James Patrick Roughan who stabbed and decapitated a 17-year-old boy has unsuccessfully sought release on parole after 15 years in prison.
‘Disturbing’ lockdown trend at youth detention centre
Tasmania's custodial inspector has a described disturbing and unprecedented lockdowns at the state youth detention facility.