Legislative Council Fifty-Third Parliament, Second Session (53-2) 53 2 Parliament of South Australia Legislative Council published Question Time Prison Violence Prison Violence The Hon. D.W. RIDGWAY Legislative Council Leader of the Opposition Prison Violence The Hon. D.W. RIDGWAY (Leader of the Opposition) (14:31): Supplementary question: how does the minister explain the significant increase in the incidence of prison violence, as outlined in his department's own annual report? The Hon. P. MALINAUSKAS Legislative Council Minister for Police, Minister for Correctional Services, Minister for Emergency Services, Minister for Road Safety Prison Violence The Hon. P. MALINAUSKAS (Minister for Police, Minister for Correctional Services, Minister for Emergency Services, Minister for Road Safety) (14:31): I have got a revelation for the Hon. Mr Ridgway: prisons are dangerous places. We put almost 3,000 prisoners in a correctional services facility. These people are in there because they have done the wrong thing, a large proportion of them are violent offenders themselves, and it shouldn't be surprising that, from time to time, incidents take place. The department seeks to— The Hon. D.W. Ridgway Legislative Council The Hon. D.W. Ridgway: So, it's just a natural thing, increasing violence? The Hon. P. MALINAUSKAS Legislative Council The Hon. P. MALINAUSKAS: The department seeks to manage the risk as best as they possibly can. I think, by and large, they do a good job, but I have not seen any evidence that suggests that somehow there is a linkage between the strain that currently exists on the prison system, in regard to prison numbers, versus prison violence. It is just that straightforward.