Pubdate: Wed, 01 Mar 2000 Source: Courier-Mail, The (Australia) Copyright: 2000 News Limited Contact: GPO Box 130, Brisbane Queensland 4001 Fax: (07) 3666 6696 Website: http://www.thecouriermail.com.au/ Author: Tony Koch chief reporter CRACKDOWN ON PRISONERS Mandatory drug tests of jail inmates, a clampdown on the release of sex offenders and tighter supervision of newly-released prisoners are part of a jail reform package approved by State Cabinet. Prisons Minister Tom Barton said the Government was "getting tough on inmates". He said a re-written Corrective Services Act would be presented to State Parliament this year. Under the clampdown, no prisoner serving a term of more than two years will be allowed back into the community unsupervised. Inmates sentenced to less than two years will have to serve two- thirds of the time before being considered for parole. Previously they could get out with good behaviour after half the sentence. Mr Barton said inmates would have just a single right under the new rules regime ... "the right to one non-contact visit a week". "Everything else is a privilege, and is subject to being taken away if they transgress," he said. "It is ridiculous, for instance, that under current legislation an inmate can refuse to submit to a drug test and nothing happens. "Under our proposals, proper random testing will be done in all correctional facilities, and anybody who refuses will be deemed to have tested positive, and will suffer the appropriate penalties." Under the changes, prison officers will not be allowed to shoot at escaping prisoners. Mr Barton said lethal force could be used only if violence was being committed or the lives of prison officers, other prisoners or the public were in danger. "The power is similar to that given to police," he said. "They cannot shoot an escaping person in the back." Mr Barton said plans to tighten remission were aimed specifically at sex offenders. "They will now be supervised until the completion of their sentences," he said. "If they are considered a threat to re-offend, they will not be eligible for community release but will serve their time." The rules set stringent penalties for prisoners who break them.Queensland Council for Civil Liberties spokesman, Ian Dearden, said he would look at the final draft legislation in April, but was "most concerned" with the remission proposals. Prisoners' Legal Service co-ordinator Karen Fletcher said inmates had rights under inter national human rights covenants. "Our greatest concern is about the move to abolish unsupervised community-based release for those serving less than two years," Ms Fletcher said. - --- MAP posted-by: Derek Rea