Coroner urges ban on ‘ineffective’ spit hoods
Spit hoods are ineffective in protecting against transmissible diseases and should be banned in prisons and hospitals, a coroner says.
prisoners and detainees
Australia ‘stained’ by its treatment of child offenders
Australia has been slammed for its juvenile justice laws as UN experts sound the alarm over the growing number of people in prison without a sentence.
Families’ relief as Snowtown killer’s parole overturned
Notorious Snowtown killer James Vlassakis' parole approval has been overturned by a retired judge, who said his crimes were "gross" and "disgustingly unusual".
‘Breaks my heart’: mum’s anguish as teen inquest ends
The mother of a teen who fatally self-harmed in custody says she understands why her son took his life after a coroner delivered his inquest findings.
UN inspectors again frozen out of Australian prisons
United Nations inspectors have been barred from a crime-troubled territory's prisons and watch houses, raising questions about what authorities have to hide.
Notorious prison escapee’s legal bid for freedom fails
A jailed bank robber dubbed the "Postcard Bandit" will remain behind bars after a court rejected his bid to have his prison sentence declared invalid.
Call to end spit hood use after female prisoner’s death
A woman in detention in a spit hood said "I can't breathe" before she died, a coroner has found, sparking calls for the head covering's use to end in one state.
Israeli cabinet ratifies Gaza ceasefire deal with Hamas
Israel's cabinet has approved a plan for a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip and the release of all remaining hostages held by Hamas.
Hamas hands over all remaining hostages to Israel
Hamas has released all 20 surviving hostages to Israel, a major step towards ending two years of devastating war in Gaza.
Killer inmate fantasised about dismembering victims
A coroner says corrective services officers could not have predicted a sadistic prisoner's murderous plan to lure a fellow inmate to his death.
Israeli strikes kill dozens in Gaza City, tanks advance
Hundreds of thousands of Palestinians flee Gaza City as Israel ramps up its offensive and some Western countries prepare to recognise Palestinian statehood.
Delays ‘not outcome changing’ after refugee’s fall
A coroner has found a delay in consulting a neurosurgeon and an air ambulance's arrival after a refugee's ultimately fatal fall were not "outcome changing".
Prison safety in focus after officer’s horrific abuse
The NSW government has plenty of work to do to implement all recommendations from a landmark inquiry into failures in the state's prison system.
Paranoid killer sorry for shivving notorious crime boss
A convicted murderer wants to set a better example after blaming paranoia and a survival instinct for violently attacking crime boss Bassam Hamzy in jail.
Pet guinea pigs kill and cook claim sparks prison probe
Guinea pigs taken from an animal shelter have allegedly been eaten by inmates at a prison, with a premier saying he is appalled by the allegations.
Ghislaine Maxwell transferred to lower-security prison
After speaking with authorities about others involved in Jeffrey Epstein's crimes, his associate Ghislaine Maxwell has been moved to a low-security prison.
‘Doesn’t bring her back’: death in custody preventable
Countless opportunities were missed to prevent the death in custody of an Aboriginal woman who had pleaded to be reunited with her children, a coroner says.
Detained Venezuelans to be swapped for Americans
A prisoner swap will take place between more than 200 alleged Venezuelan gang members and 10 US citizens and residents, officials say.
Captured prison escapee asks court for freedom
A bank robber dubbed the "Postcard Bandit" has asked a court to declare his prison sentence invalid and order his release.
Death in custody case under scrutiny as ministers meet
Deaths in custody and tougher youth crime laws will be a focus as a peak Indigenous group meets to discuss Closing the Gap progress with government ministers.
Ukraine receives 1245 bodies, among last of war dead
Ukraine has received more than 6000 bodies of fallen soldiers since the agreements reached between Russia and Ukraine in Istanbul.
One-punch killer jailed for hospital and prison assault
A man convicted of killing a grandfather in a one-punch attack has received an additional jail sentence for assaulting hospital security and a fellow inmate.
Russia and Ukraine swap hundreds more prisoners
Russia and Ukraine have swapped hundreds more prisoners, both sides say, hours after one of the biggest combined missile and drone attacks on Kyiv.
Huge prison boost creates stir for justice advocates
A bail crackdown has prompted moves to increase prison bed numbers but opposition politicians say the numbers don't add up.
Russia and Ukraine exchange 205 prisoners of war each
Ukraine and Russia have concluded one of the largest prisoner exchanges since Moscow invaded its neighbour in 2022.
Teenager’s alleged murder sparks calls for change
A mother whose teenage daughter was allegedly murdered on a night out has called on the community to unite against gendered violence.
US deportees offered in swap for ‘political prisoners’
Venezuela's top prosecutor has criticised a proposal by El Salvador to swap hundreds of "political prisoners" for deportees from the US being held in a prison.
US top court blocks deportations under old wartime law
The US Supreme Court has paused the Trump administration from deporting Venezuelan men in immigration custody following an emergency appeal by rights activists.
US senator meets wrongly deported man in El Salvador
US senator Chris Van Hollen has met Kilmar Abrego Garcia, coming face-to-face with the wrongly deported man after visiting El Salvador to push for his release.
Callous foster child killer found dead in jail cell
A man who was serving a life sentence for the callous murder of a 12-year-old girl under his foster care has been found dead in jail.
Teenager alleges human rights abuse in watch house
Children should not be held in watch houses for more than 24 hours, a report has found, after a boy was allegedly deprived of his basic human rights.