Prisoner Support and Treatment

In reply to the Hon. K.L. VINCENT (13 April 2016).

The Hon. P. MALINAUSKAS (Minister for Police, Minister for Correctional Services, Minister for Emergency Services, Minister for Road Safety): I am advised:

1. No submission has been made to the Senate Community Affairs References Committee inquiry.

2. The Department for Correctional Services (DCS) does not collect data requested in the question.

However, I can advise that the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW) 2015 Report into the health of Australia's prisoners was developed to help monitor the delivery and quality of prison health services.

Data was collected from a select number of prisoners from 84 per cent of Australia's prisons. It provides valuable insight, such as 30 per cent of prisoners admitted to custody in Australia reported a long-term health condition, or disability, that limited their daily activities and/or affected their participation in education or employment.

In June 2016, the AIHW released a bulletin using data from the AIHW National Prisoner Health Data Collection and the Australian Bureau of Statistics National Health Survey. The bulletin compares medications taken by prisoners with people in the general community. Data provided by South Australia, in relation to prisoners prescribed mental health related medication, indicates the following:

597 prisoners were prescribed antidepressants/mood stabilisers;

238 prisoners were prescribed antipsychotics;

6 prisoners were prescribed anti-anxiety medication;

15 prisoners were prescribed hypnotics and sedatives; and

723 prisoners were prescribed any mental health medication.

It should be noted that prisoners can be on multiple medications at any one time and the data is not reflective of the whole South Australian prison population.

Upon admission to prison, prisoners are appropriately assessed in conjunction with the South Australia Prison Health Service (SAPHS) and information from the South Australia Police (SAPOL), to determine their risk and needs. Prisoners identified during this process as having an intellectual disability and/or mental illness are provided with appropriate supports.

Services available to prisoners are provided through forensic mental health services, SAPHS, Disability SA, the department's high risk assessment teams and departmental psychologists.

DCS actively supports the state government's commitment to the creation and implementation of Disability Access and Inclusion Plans (DAIP) across government agencies. The department's DAIP is informed by key strategies and policies relevant to DCS and the criminal justice system of South Australia. The Attorney-General's Department Disability Justice Plan 2014-17 is the overarching framework and seeks to ensure that the criminal justice system is accessible and responsive to the needs of people with disability.