New inspector for Qld corrective services

Queensland prisons and watchhouses face greater scrutiny after the state government passed laws to create an independent inspector to oversee detention facilities.

The inspectorate will have the power to conduct random spot checks to ensure prisoners are being treated humanely in appropriate conditions, Attorney-General and Justice Minister Shannon Fentiman said.

“This includes overseeing our youth detention centres, prisons, and police watch-houses,” the minister said.

The inspectorate will report directly to parliament and have a separate staff with distinct and independent functions and powers.

Its key responsibility will be to prevent harm by examining the systems and experiences of people in detention.

“Our criminal justice system remains focused on holding offenders to account and keeping the community safe,” Ms Fentiman said.

“This legislation strengthens the systems that oversee these facilities, ensuring they are managed well and operate effectively.”

The role comes in the wake of recommendations from various independent reviews, including the Sofronoff Review, the Taskforce Flaxton report and the Independent Review of Youth Detention.