We’re excited to launch Inspector’s Corner!
There are a number of groups around the country that inspect prisons and provide feedback and recommendations to governments. These often involve visiting prisons and talking directly to people in custody.
For example, in September 2022, the Queensland Government passed a new law that established an Inspector of Detention Services (the Inspector).
Purpose and role of the Inspector
The main purpose of the Inspector is to improve places of detention, with a focus on:
- promoting and upholding the humane treatment of detainees, including human conditions of their detention; and
- preventing detainees from being subjected to harm, including torture and cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment.
The position of the Inspector is held by the Queensland Ombudsman but has its own resourcing, with functions and powers separate from the Ombudsman.
The main role of the Inspector is to inspect places of detention in Queensland including prisons, youth-detention centers and watch-houses, and report on these inspections. The inspections aim to identify and prevent potential sources of harm for people in places of detention rather than responding to complaints when harm occurs.
The Inspector has prepared and published standards that are used to conduct inspections. PLS provided feedback to the Inspector when these standards were being drafted to help ensure that Inspections were being conducted in the most effective and meaningful way.
The Inspector must inspect each adult prison in Queensland at least once every 5 years and release a report about the inspection.
Example from Queensland: Inspection of Southern Queensland Correctional Centre
On 24 March 2025, the Inspector released their first adult prison inspection report about Southern Queensland Correctional Centre (SQCC).
The report makes 37 recommendations for areas of improvement at SQCC.
An area of concern identified by the Inspector was the insufficient consideration of human rights when placing women in conditions of solitary confinement. This includes placement in the safety unit, detention unit and when being locked down in individual cells. The Inspector made recommendations about the need for individual risk assessments that consider the harmful effects of isolation and the limitations on a woman’s human rights when placing her in conditions of solitary confinement. The Inspector also made recommendations about the need for improved management of hygiene and menstruation products for women who are placed in conditions of solitary confinement in the Safety Unit.
Other areas for improvement at SQCC identified by the Inspector included long waitlists to see health professionals and for programs, and lack of female and First Nations staff.
The Inspector also observed some positive practices at SQCC including the operation of the separate Parental Support Unit for pregnant women, mothers and residential children.
Keep an eye out!
Each month, we will be providing a summary of reports released around the country, and where the inspection bodies will be visiting soon. Read back here for more information!
We’re excited to launch Inspector’s Corner!
There are a number of groups around the country that inspect prisons and provide feedback and recommendations to governments. These often involve visiting prisons and talking directly to people in custody.
For example, in September 2022, the Queensland Government passed a new law that established an Inspector of Detention Services (the Inspector).
Purpose and role of the Inspector
The main purpose of the Inspector is to improve places of detention, with a focus on:
- promoting and upholding the humane treatment of detainees, including human conditions of their detention; and
- preventing detainees from being subjected to harm, including torture and cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment.
The position of the Inspector is held by the Queensland Ombudsman but has its own resourcing, with functions and powers separate from the Ombudsman.
The main role of the Inspector is to inspect places of detention in Queensland including prisons, youth-detention centers and watch-houses, and report on these inspections. The inspections aim to identify and prevent potential sources of harm for people in places of detention rather than responding to complaints when harm occurs.
The Inspector has prepared and published standards that are used to conduct inspections. PLS provided feedback to the Inspector when these standards were being drafted to help ensure that Inspections were being conducted in the most effective and meaningful way.
The Inspector must inspect each adult prison in Queensland at least once every 5 years and release a report about the inspection.
Example from Queensland: Inspection of Southern Queensland Correctional Centre
On 24 March 2025, the Inspector released their first adult prison inspection report about Southern Queensland Correctional Centre (SQCC).
The report makes 37 recommendations for areas of improvement at SQCC.
An area of concern identified by the Inspector was the insufficient consideration of human rights when placing women in conditions of solitary confinement. This includes placement in the safety unit, detention unit and when being locked down in individual cells. The Inspector made recommendations about the need for individual risk assessments that consider the harmful effects of isolation and the limitations on a woman’s human rights when placing her in conditions of solitary confinement. The Inspector also made recommendations about the need for improved management of hygiene and menstruation products for women who are placed in conditions of solitary confinement in the Safety Unit.
Other areas for improvement at SQCC identified by the Inspector included long waitlists to see health professionals and for programs, and lack of female and First Nations staff.
The Inspector also observed some positive practices at SQCC including the operation of the separate Parental Support Unit for pregnant women, mothers and residential children.
Keep an eye out!
Each month, we will be providing a summary of reports released around the country, and where the inspection bodies will be visiting soon. Read back here for more information!
