The reckoning of a police whistleblower

A decade after crooked cop Trevor Haken rolled over at the Wood Royal Commission into police corruption, he remains in fear of his life and says he has been left out in the cold by authorities, having reached his used-by date.

"I would have been far better off not going on side with the Royal Commission and holding the line with other members of the New South Wales police force," he said.

"I still feel, and I think I always will feel, that my life is in danger because of the number of people that I implicated at the royal commission.

"I'm basically not a creature of habit anymore. I live life as though I'm being followed all the time. I drive looking out of the rear-view mirror all the time. I don't shop in the same shopping centre twice."

As a former high-ranking detective in the New South Wales police service, Haken was a member of the drug squad at the CIB, led the drug unit at Kings Cross for several years and was a member of the joint task force into drug trafficking. But Haken was on the take.

He and his colleagues protected some organised drug syndicates in return for monetary kickbacks and information. That information was used to investigate and prosecute competing drug syndicates.

Haken says it was an arrangement that allowed the police some measure of control over crime and gave tacit approval for their criminal associates to grow their market share.
Former NSW police minister Paul Whelan says Haken was nothing more than a crook.

"Haken and his mates were the gatekeepers of crime at Kings Cross, 'please pay'. They believed that they had 'noble cause'. In fact, they were just straight crooks," Mr Wheelan said.

[Yeah, and Wheelan had nothing to do with it?]

Rush to ruin

Haken now says accepting kickbacks was "a rush towards a ruined life".

Still, he did not set out to be crooked. With stars in his eyes, Haken joined the police force after the death of his father. It was the yearning for a "brotherhood" and strong male role models that sealed the deal.

Following the lead of others, he soon became involved with tow-truck rackets that paid kickbacks when notified of accidents. It was a seemingly harmless scheme and Haken says it wasn't long before most things could be "justified".

"When you start off into corrupt practice it doesn't take very much to go up the ladder. And the further you go up the ladder, the more acceptable things become until you reach a point where there's nothing that isn't acceptable," he said.

Haken says it got to the stage where there was no form of improper behaviour that he wasn't involved in.

"I was involved in stealing money, verballing people, giving false evidence, gutting briefs which is removing information from briefs to allow people to be exonerated," he said.

After years of lining his pockets with the proceeds of crime, Haken realised that he was under surveillance.

"In the early 90s I was aware that I was under surveillance by police from some organisation. I wasn't aware who," he said.

"And then on one occasion I went home and found that the tumblers on my front door lock had been interfered with.

I didn't know whether it was a clandestine search had been carried out on my home or whether they'd placed listening devices in the house. But I was aware that I was under surveillance," Haken said.

Pivotal evidence

It was the New South Wales Crime Commission that had been keeping an eye on Haken and in September 1994 senior officers from the Wood Royal Commission into the New South Wales Police Service made contact with Haken and asked him to roll over.

He says he made the choice because inevitably there was no other choice. In exchange for criminal indemnity, Haken spent nine months gathering audio and video evidence.

Some of his infamous targets included crime boss Bill Bayeh and friend and colleague detective inspector Graham Fowler. Haken says it was dangerous work.

"At one meeting with Bayeh, he told me that another police associate had told him he must have balls to be meeting with me because the rumours were all over town that I'd rolled.

"And he said, 'If anyone goes against me, I'll kill them, I'll kill their wife, I'll kill their kids'. And that's not a threat I took idly, not then, not now," Haken said.

Once his cover was blown, his then wife and four children were put in the witness protection program, separated from Haken and sent overseas without any follow-up support.

When his turn as star witness at the Royal Commission came, Haken's evidence proved pivotal.

Mr Wheelan says the evidence sent shockwaves through the force.

"Haken's public acknowledgement as a police informer sent shockwaves to those he'd been working with. It came as a bomb.

"Haken exposed a large number of corrupt police, all the way up to chief superintendent to assistant commissioner," Mr Whelan said.

"I would have to say that it was Haken's evidence that was crucial for the success of the Royal Commission."

[But in reality they didn't go far enough did they Mr Whelan? They never got the headkickers in Parliament House did they? They didn't get the politicians that owned the pub just up the road from Surry Hills Police Centre and who allowed things like the standard police 'noble cause corruption' to go on, did they Mr Wheelan? What about the stealing money? verballing people? giving false evidence? gutting briefs which is removing information from briefs? to allow people to be exonerated. Not to mention out and out police corruption? Laugh!]

Haken continued to give evidence for a further nine years and individuals such as Bayeh and Fowler were charged and jailed for various crimes. On the whole, the Wood Royal Commission was the catalyst for wide-ranging reforms of the New South Wales policing system, but it still rankles with Haken that there were others whom he implicated that were never charged.

Life in hiding

Haken says he has been left high and dry following his experience as a whistleblower and is devastated by a life in hiding.

"I've lost all hope that life can ever be returned to normality," Haken said.

"I believe I haven't been suitably compensated and my security hasn't been taken into consideration properly. Financially I'm in a perilous situation.

"In the eyes of those at the Police Integrity Commission I've reached my used-by date."

In the end he failed the brotherhood and the brotherhood has failed him.

"Even if I had gone to jail, it would have probably only been for a couple of years and not the life sentence that I've got now," he said. [Known Disparity for Police.]

"I just think if you do the crime, do the time." [Laugh.]

It seems a simple logic in retrospect.

By Jess Daly posted 8 October 05

Who is bad?

Super Rat? M5? M11? K8? N2? So I trust that some people who, with the photos and guns guessed that a jury would quickly establish a case against a profiled person whom, you just had a picture and a history of. Common knowledge? The government knew their victims would take the blame. Not just chess in court, 'moving around the pieces', but 'putting false evidence, or not enough evidence before the jury."

Related:

Australia: Cop Watch - drugs in the force
Taking the illegal drugs leads to the officers associating with drug suppliers, stealing drugs, stealing money and supplying friends, and providing confidential information to the drug suppliers.

Australia: Copwatch - pornographic emails
Copwatch -sexually explicit emails in Western Australia - Victoria cops ask for freedom to target Muslims - Former ASIO head says Victorian corruption now worse than ever - Coppers out of control in driving pursuits in NSW - Drink-driving copper 5 times over the limit in Tasmania - Fans of Ned Kelly fire 40 shots into a memorial plaque at Stringybark Creek.

Police drivers sneer at the rules
NSW police involved in high-speed car pursuits have lied, ignored commands to stop and switched radio frequencies to dodge official supervision while taking part in chases, internal service documents reveal.

Australia: Cops on Drugs
An illicit drug culture exists within the ranks of the NSW Police Service with young cops found to be taking speed, cocaine and ecstasy.

Victorian cops the most corrupt in Australia
A weekly round up of news on the cops. Former Australian Crime Commission Chair says Victorian cops are the most corrupt in Australia -- so they are given extra powers -- and so Melburnians can be patrolled by the army -- and have business deals with McDonalds. Top cops in NSW cleared after investigation -- but another one charged with child slavery. Western Australian police officer leaves the force under secrecy -- and Canberra hospital nurse tells the Federal Police to bugger off.

Cop Watch - The threat of privatised state power
Cop Watch will stay silent on proposed anti-terrorist laws and the arrest of peace activist Scott Parkin as so many others are writing about it, but a moment needs to be spent on private security guards - the private army of the state.

Cop Watch - Tweed Heads Terrorism brings town to standstill
Another terror attack in Australia brings Tweeds Heads (NSW) to a standstill - police brake speed limit to get footy player to footy match - woman ends up dead because of police failure, according to coroner - corrupt corruption commissioner might end up in prison - 14 year old girl gets locked up by police unlawfully - ex-copper gets massive $650,000 pay-out.

A copper's lot may not be happy, but it is certainly well paid
NSW Police to set up full time riot squad following Forbes protests - no one wants to be Commissioner of Police in NSW - no one wants to be a copper in SA - another copper rapes a juvenile - more secrecy bungles in Victoria - more drugs for the cops on duty - Justice Wood (former Commissioner into Police Corruption) says little has changed in 10 years - cops on corruption charges get stressed out and get compo.

Cop Watch: When permanent head injuries ruled to be reasonable force Former copper kidnaps and rapes 10 year old (allegedly) - Commission rules that police violence that leads to serious and permanent head injuries is 'reasonable' - more police lies on the de Menezes killing in London by terrorist police officers - NSW Police Association criticise A30 Opera House cost of policing - Victorian Police stuff up traffic tickets (again).

Cop Watch: No. 4 Terrorism in Ballarat
Terrorism in Ballarat - former Sydney copper sues the police after becoming drug addict - Victorian Police unlawfully releases 'up to 20,000 pages' of confidential files.

Australia: Cop Watch No. 3
This round-up includes: disgraced officers may get reinstated with back pay - more confidential information gets released into the public domain by police - body searching at the Sydney Opera House - and Irish police pissed off over WA police poaching campaign in Ireland.

Australia: Copwatch No.2
A review of what the boys and girls in blue have been up to shows that their respective juices have been stimulated by their ability to demand greater and greater police powers.

Australia: Cop Watch
The roundup this week - dodgy riot gear, shooting French photographers, senior coppers being 4 times over the legal limit, dodgy promotions in NSW, more terrorism powers in WA and drug-dealing coppers in Melbourne (it is alleged).

Assaulted, intimidated or harassed in custody?
"Then make an Apprehended Violence Order application against the police, says assault victim Ms Teresa Kiernan.

NSW Police Force: 2 dead, $1 million dollars to catch a thief?
NSW police have expressed concern about their response to the Macquarie Fields riots in south-western Sydney after a police pursuit that killed two young youths Dylan Rayward 17, and Mathew Robertson, 19 that went horribly wrong.

OUR STORIES MUST BE TOLD. THEY HAVE TO BE
On Sunday 13th February, a Community gathering will be held to enable all people to remember the death of one of our young Community members, 'TJ' Hickey.

Vic police chief moves to sack officers
The Chief Commissioner of Victoria Police, Christine Nixon, has moved to dismiss two police officers as part of a crackdown on corruption and says up to 20 more dismissals could follow.

Vic flop cop warns there's more corruption
Victorian Police Chief Commissioner, Christine Nixon, says Victorians should brace themselves for more evidence of police corruption.

Vic police corruption report tabled in Parliament
The Victorian Ombudsman's report on the Ceja Taskforce and drug related corruption in Victoria police has been tabled in State Parliament.

Bent police compromise Bulldogs gang-rape case
Deputy Commissioner Dave Madden could have compromised gang-rape investigation? Steve Mortimer resigned!

More NSW Police Corruption?
Line of fire? [Bullshit! Line of Lick Arse Noble Cause NSW Corrupt Cops] (clockwise from top left) Deputy Commissioner Dave Madden, Assistant Commissioner Peter Parsons, Superintendent Dave Swilkes, Assistant Commissioner Bob Waites and Superintendent Dave Owens.

NSW Cop suspect in murder?
A sacked Sydney police officer has finished giving testimony at a hearing into his corrupt activities over the past eight years. Christopher John Laycock was yesterday recalled to the witness stand at the Police Integrity Commission (PIC).

Corrupt NSW police officer sacked
New South Wales Police Commissioner Ken Moroney has sacked an officer who confessed to being involved in corrupt activities over the past eight years.

Policeman draws blank on fake raids
A suspended Sydney policeman has told an inquiry that he has "little recollection" of the details of fake police raids he set up.

Officer planned to kidnap criminals
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Police offer protection to family following gang rape allegations
The parents of a 14-year-old girl claim their daughter was gang-raped in Sydney earlier this year, and have raised concerns about corrupt policeman Detective Sergeant Christopher Laycock's review of the case.

NSW police prosecutor charged with child porn possession
A New South Wales police prosecutor has been charged with the possession of child pornography.

Police, teachers charged in child porn bust
One-hundred-and-fifty people, including police officers and teachers, have been arrested in what the Federal Police (AFP) describe as Australia's biggest Internet child pornography bust.

A corrupt way to treat the community?
I seen the police bleeding on Nine's Sunday program arguing that promotion should depend on how many crimes police have solved and not how many brains they have and that was coming from police commissioner Ken Moroney and Police Minister John Watkins?

Judges Blood Sample: After the fact of the fact of a hangover?
Lawyers say New South Wales Supreme Court judge Jeff Shaw should not give police his own sample of blood taken after he crashed his car near his Sydney home last month.

NSW police drug amnesty under review
A drug amnesty for the New South Wales police force is under review, Police Commissioner Ken Moroney has said.

Police to uphold law not decide mental health
A diagnosis of mental illness could be made over the phone instead of in person, and involuntary psychiatric patients could lose the right to have their case reviewed by a magistrate, under proposed changes to NSW mental health laws.

Redfern police need education not weapons
According to the description of one senior police officer, the ACLO called out on the afternoon before the Redfern violence escalated was "hopeless, intoxicated and had no driver's licence."

Bulldogs simply not the best!
SIMPLY NOT THE BEST AND DEFINITELY NOT BETTER THAN ANYONE, ANYONE I'VE MET.

Clive Small, NSW Inspector Gadget
NSW Police has revived controversial plans for a specialist discriminative squad to tackle the wave of violent crime that has plagued Sydney's south-west for more than a decade.

Who is bad?
Super Rat? M5? M11? K8? N2? So I trust that some people who, with the photos and guns guessed that a jury would quickly establish a case against a profiled person whom, you just had a picture and a history of. Common knowledge? The government knew their victims would take the blame. Not just chess in court, 'moving around the pieces', but 'putting false evidence, or not enough evidence before the jury."

2,500, crooked detectives? Or a corrupt Government?
The Wood Royal Commission into police corruption. Where did the police learn their trade skills? Led by example perhaps?

How to become corruption resistant in NSW
Don't trust those who cannot prove themselves with the little amounts of trust you give them. Just because they have a letter of perceived trust doesn't mean they can be trusted.

This is not how you eat 'antisocial behaviour'
Process corruption, perjury, planting of evidence, verbals, fabricated confessions, denial of suspects rights, a solicitor to induce confessions, tampering with electronic recording equipment, framing. Generally green lighting crime, and I say Murder, including the kids who overdosed on heroin. No doubt.

Black Knight - Long way to go home
In line with the current climate of police corruption and the demise of the reform unit set up by Wood, these facts ought to have been a good reason to leave Moroney out of the package as Commissioner.

Bob down and sniff my arse
These are serious invasions of privacy and draconian laws? Where are our democratic soldiers, the lawyers and the barristers who need to take on the government in the courts? Are they plastic? Or to busy feathering their nests? Or have they been cleverly purchased by this black government. Drug test police and politicians, and have the tests independently accessed.

Come in spinner? Or Come in sinner?
"You don't have, in my view very vigilant processes. I suppose it's akin to the problem of corruption within the police," he told the ABC radio. " People say there's corruption with the police (but) do you get the police to investigate problems within their own ranks?

Deeds
I am disturbed by Governments 'actions' in relation to shuffling the police service. Clive Small seconded into Parliament like a cocky in a perch. A breach of the fundamental Separation of Powers Doctrine does not in my view allow the thought of intervening, planning, or shuffling to stack the deck of our police service. The one that suppose to be autonomous according to Lord Denning. Where the Parliamentary Secretary can ask the commissioner of police to 'report' then sack him if he is not satisfied with such report.

Prison Mind Games-Do they exist?
Directives are given inside the prison system that are not consistent with the law in NSW. And not in the good interests of the health and well being of the prisoners.

Truth
Who is telling the truth? Well I guess Dr. Ed. Chadbourne or Mr. Peter Ryan may have the answer to that. Dr. Chadbourne sacked by Peter Ryan and more specifically in my view because he elected deputy commissioners Dave Madden and Andrew Scipione as the best men in the service in relation to his qualifications to make a recommendation in his capacity as human resources.That is if you believe that a Dr. can be corrupted.

Honesty
What is happening between the Police Service and politics is quite extraordinary at the moment. If stand over tactics don't work tell half the truth honestly and follow the example of sheep. Another word for it is sleaze, yeah. Another word for it is workplace harassment. Another word for it is bribing a Police Officer. Another word for it is misleading Parliament.

Tele Tales
Most people I know don't buy the Daily Telegraph. Why? Because of the lies and propaganda purported by them.

Lord Denning
Interesting how a member of the Police Board Mr. Tim Priest would hold grave fears for his safety from dangerous senior police but fails to name them or have them sacked. Rather Priest resigns as if he had no powers. Could that mean what he was saying is that the Governments are also corrupt?

Corrosive
Clive Small is Bob Carr's choice for the new Police Commissioner. It could only be the case considering his, Small's special appointment into Parliament House. Small who suffers from the little person syndrome is the ideal bend over boy who gets shuffled through his corrupt actions. Rolling the legal system for him after the fact, just like his predecessor Roger the dodger Rogerson.

Black Nexus
The Separation of Powers Doctrine is nowcontaminated witharangeofcolours, now leaving us with a black shirt on a once blue bridge that crossed that thin blue line. The 'Amery and Woodham show'.

Same boat
The Premier, Bob Carr, relies on a militia. A gang of bikies and our Police Service, to show all of us he is no murderer. He should be taken to the task along with his partners in crime like Clive Small to account for those people who like my self have been maliciously assaulted and who have complained, without any service and those who cannot speak for themselves who were murdered, like Terry Falconer. Terry murdered in custody.

Good Cop
Why have our democratic institutions broken down? It's not just the criminal justice system. The Anti-Corruption Network webmaster@anti-corruption-network.org exposes the same issues. A group of white-collar workers who say they have suffered as follows:

Dangerous
I refer to the Daily Telegraph article 22 March 2002 under the heading Priest quits advisory job.

Partners in crime - history!
Roger Rogerson, the old hero, who never faced a result in the Warren Lanfranchi, or Sally-Anne Huckstepp murders, was let off in my opinion when the New South Wales Government rolled the legal system (deciding what evidence to give the police prosecutor) to have the jury believe the illusion they (the Government wanted to create).

Police Chronology 1994-2001
View events in the NSW Police Force since the Wood Royal Commission began in 1994. 1994 May Justice James Wood is appointed Commissioner of the Royal Commission into the NSW Police Service ('WRC').

Federal Police

AFP: The unlikely CRIMINAL
It was born of a bombing and it made its name after a far more devastating act of terrorism. But for most of the 25 years in between, little was known about the Australian Federal Police force or the work it did.

Row over acupuncture for prisoners

Acupuncture is believed to help alleviate depression, anxiety and insomnia.

UK: The Home Office has responded to criticism over prison inmates who are being offered acupuncture on the NHS in order to relieve stress.

Prisoners at Bristol prison are referred for acupuncture sessions at their health centre as part of their access to NHS primary care services.

But a victim support group was reported as describing the sessions as a "luxury" and said it illustrated the "huge disparity" between the way prisoners and victims of crime are treated in the UK.

Acupuncture specialist and director of the centre for complimentary therapy and integrated medicine in Southampton, George Lewith, said that acupuncture can help to alleviate depression, anxiety and insomnia although the evidence was limited because little research had been carried out.

Dr Lewith, who has been practising acupuncture for nearly 30 years, said: "There is lots of circumstantial evidence that acupuncture should help with anxiety because it triggers the release of calming transmitters which are like opiates.

"I don't see any reason why these prisoners can't be offered acupuncture as it is available on the NHS - particularly for patients who need physiotherapy and pain relief." The Home Office said that since 1999 doctors working within prison health services were entitled to refer patients for complementary or alternative therapies if the money was available and the treatment was appropriate. Therapies on offer include yoga, meditation and osteopathy as well as acupuncture.

A Home Office spokesman said: "Holistic therapies are being used successfully in a number of prisons across the UK to tackle health issues such as self harm and drug addiction, as well as anger management, as and when appropriate.

"They are unlikely to be available to all prisoners. Prisoners most likely to benefit from holistic alternative therapies might include those at risk of self harm, those with mental health problems and those withdrawing from drugs." A spokesman for the charity Victim Support said that some victims of crime might be outraged that money was being spent on offering acupuncture services to inmates.

He said: "Others may say that they see some sense in it. Although this is something which might raise eyebrows, it is an issue which needs to be looked at."

But earlier today the director of another victim support charity, Norman Brennan, told the Daily Mail: "The amount of money spent on victims of crime is pitiful, yet prisoners are given luxuries which may people cannot afford.

"There is a huge disparity between how well we look after criminals and how well we look after those whose lives they destroy."

By Debbie Andal posted 3 June 05

Related:

Number of prisoners sent back to jail trebles
UK: The number of prisoners being sent back to jail after release has nearly trebled in the past five years, according to a report published today.

Top judge says crowded prisons cannot break cycle of crime
UK: Reoffending rates after a prison sentence are at an "unacceptably high level" and the failure of the criminal justice system to stop prisoners reoffending should shock the public, England's top judge, [Ruling Class] Lord Woolf, said last week.

All the World's a Prison: History
No doubt many of my readers, even those who are well-educated or widely read, think that the prison -- the place where dark deeds are darkly answered[2] -- is an ancient institution, a barbaric hold-over from barbaric times. In fact, the prison is of relatively recent origin, and this tells us a great deal about the pretentions and realities of modern times, and the wisdom and high degree of development of the ancients.

Decade after inspector left in disgust, report tells of filth
UK: Dirty, mice-infested cells, high levels of self-harm, and widespread bullying over drugs and medications were just some of the damning findings of a report into conditions at Holloway, Britain's largest women's prison.

Most women 'should not be jailed'
Women make up 6% of the prison population in England and Wales. Imprisonment of women should be "virtually abolished", a prison reform group has said.

Youth 'murdered for officers' pleasure'
UK: An Asian teenager was murdered by a white racist after they were placed in the same cell as part of a game to fulfil the "perverted pleasure" of prison officers, a public inquiry heard on Friday.

Deaths in isolation as prison segregation increases
The use of segregation [solitary confinement] of prisoners as punishment has been increasing recently in Australia, the US, and the UK. Segregation can be used for protection or punishment, but in both cases it results in extreme psychological stress. An indication that segregation is being over-used is the appearance of deaths in custody from suicide of those placed in segregation.

Inquest blames jail for overdose death
UK: An inquest jury returned a verdict itemising a catalogue of faults at Styal prison in Cheshire, concluding that the prison's "failure of duty of care" contributed to the death of Sarah Campbell, 18, who took an overdose of tablets on the first day of her three-year sentence.

Put in the way of self-harm in a place intended to protect others
UK: Sarah Campbell, 18, spent the last hours of her life in the segregation unit of Styal prison, Cheshire. "The seg", as those places are referred to, used to be known as "the block", short for punishment block. [ Seg is a bullshit word for Punishment, Solitary Confinement, Torture, Mental Illness, Self-Harm, Human Rights Abuse and that is State Terror.]

Britain 'sliding into police state'
The home secretary, Charles Clarke, is transforming Britain into a police state, one of the country's former leading anti-terrorist police chiefs [false flag police chiefs] said yesterday.

UK solitary confinement
UK: Segregation units are prisons within prisons - the places where the most unchecked brutality is meted out to prisoners. In recent years conditions in high security segregation units have deteriorated, and the use of long-term segregation as a control mechanism has increased.

Inquiry must root out prison racists
UK: It is difficult to imagine a more brutal murder than that of Zahid Mubarek. The 19-year-old was clubbed to death by his cellmate at Feltham Young Offender Institution in the early hours of 21 March 2000. He was due to be released just a few hours later.

Prison suicides soar as jails hire 'babysitters'
UK: Prison officers are being taken off suicide watch and replaced by unqualified 'babysitters' because the system is overwhelmed by an epidemic of self-harm.

Plan to sell off juvenile jails as job lot
UK: The government is to put out to tender all its dedicated juvenile jails that hold children under 18 in a departure in Whitehall's privatisation programme.

Failure to sack 'racist' prison staff condemned
UK: Two prison officers suspended for racism are still on full pay three years after a stash of Nazi memorabilia, neo-fascist literature and Ku Klux Klan-inspired 'nigger-hunting licences' was found in a police raid on their home.

Report slams 'unjust' jailing of women on remand
UK: Six out of 10 women sent to jail while they await trial are acquitted or given a non-custodial sentence, a report published today reveals. Introducing the report, Lady Kennedy QC calls for a complete review of the use of remand and bail for women saying it is "inhumane and unjust".

Concern as UK prison suicides hit record level
UK: More prisoners took their own lives in English jails in August than in any other month since records began, prison reformers said today.

End of years of despair as Holloway closes its doors
But now Holloway prison in north London - where Ruth Ellis, the last woman to be executed in Britain, was hanged in 1955 - has been earmarked for closure, along with several other women's prisons, which have been hit by a spate of suicides.

How detox and self-help brought suicide jail back from the brink
UK: Six suicides in 12 months made Styal jail notorious and the Prisons Ombudsman criticised the prison and its staff for serious failures. But things are changing.

Belmarsh detainees consider suicide, says freed man
UK: The first of the Muslim detainees released from Belmarsh high security prison after being held on suspicion of terrorism has told the Guardian his fellow prisoners are suffering such severe mental problems that they constantly consider suicide.

Suicides and unrest have soared, admits Home Office
UK:The already overcrowded prison population is set to go on rising and will top 80,000 within the next three years, a senior Home Office civil servant warned yesterday.

England tops the EU in imprisonment
England and Wales jail more offenders per capita than any other European, Union country, according to new figures.

Isolation, psychiatric treatment and prisoner' control

The 2003 NSW Corrections Health Service (now Justice Health) Report on Mental Illness Among NSW Prisoners states that the 12 month prevalence of any psychiatric disorder in prison is 74%, compared to 22% in the general community, and while this includes substance disorder the high rate cannot be attributed to that alone.

Incidentally "Justice Health" may seem more 'just' that's why they changed their name "common government ploy" because they were not "correct" and even worse than hospitals outside the prison- about 10 times worse.

So they weren't correct and they're certainly not just. The twelve-month prevalence of psychosis in NSW inmates was thirty times higher than in the Australian community. The most common disorder was an anxiety disorder with the most common anxiety disorder being Post Traumatic (which can be very severe and disabling and indicates the horrors that many prisoners have experienced prior to and in jail).

One in twenty prisoners had attempted suicide in the twelve months prior to interview. This study only touches the surface of evaluation and statistics of the nitty-gritty of what's going on - it excluded many people, including those "too unwell" to be interviewed. It also reflects the attitude of the professional, but considering that we regard 'labelling' to be covered by the term 'psychiatric disability' we consider the report of great use.

This outrageously disproportionate situation arises from both prison conditions and the discriminatory nature of the "criminal justice system".

Injectable antipsychotics in prisons

This response was received from Justice Health Re: Anti-psychotic medication.

I write in response to your request for information dated 16th November 2004 regarding long acting depot anti-psychotics prison preparations.

There are certain clinical circumstances where certain anti-psychotics are required in the care of forensic patients. Their use is governed by the Mental Health Act and overseen by the Mental Health Review Tribunal.

In the case of patients discharged to the community under community treatment orders, the Mental Health Review Tribunal plays a similar role.

Justice Health aims to use the lowest possible dose and to minimise side effects on patients in all circumstances. There are quite a few preparations on the market and the dosage range ofthese preparations is outlined in MIMS.

It would be 'uncommon' for Justice Health psychiatrists to exceed recommended dosage ranges without careful clinical consideration and peer review.

Many of our patients are now being placed on newer atypical anti-psychotic depot preparations like Risperdoi, Consta and hopefully use of this medication and the new generation of depot anti-psychotics will in the future minimise even further side effects and discomfort for patients.

It is very uncommon for force to be required to administer these medications. In an acute phase of illness where patients are very unwell and not able to cooperate injectable medications might be utilised but these tend to be short acting agents rather than depot preparations.

Generally depot preparations are only used in the maintenance phase of illness by which time the majority of patients are accepting of the requirement to take this medication. I hope this information is helpful to you.

Yours sincerely
Dr Richard Matthews
Chief Executive Officer
26 November 2004

Justice Action has received many complaints about the use of injectable anti-psychotics used in the NSW prisons and mental health facilities.

We express concern that "Corrections Health" now "Justice Health" psychiatrists can prescribe over the recommended dose, without clinical &/or peer review?

[Regarding forensic prisoners, we have received written confirmation from Justice Health that not just short acting but also depot anti-psychotics can be and are administered using force, and that recommended dosages can be and are exceeded (which may occur without careful clinical consideration and peer review).

This is a great concern, regardless of the frequency of such events, as we have been informed prior of a Death in Custody case, where a prisoner suffered Neuroleptic Malignant Syndrome, and according to staff died in a terrible manner following large doses of anti-psychotics.]

So prisoners can, and have died as a result of injectable anti-psychotics, and that this is a worry regarding Deaths in Custody, as well as being an extremely harrowing experience to undergo if it doesn't kill you.

'A'typical anti-psychotics have their own problems, and over medication does not disappear just because an older drug is not used.

An example is the increased risk of diabetes, or effects on heart function, and many prisoners are already at risk of such diseases, due to conditions inside and also to conditions outside relating to discrimination and deprivation (eg Indigenous people).

What is being done about these effects on prisoners'? Are prisoners' given information about these effects? What danger signals should they watch out for? Can they report to Justice Health staff if they experience it?

Prisoners' have complained to Justice Action many times that injectable anti-psychotics are used as a non-medical tool, eg as punishment for disagreeing with a Correctional Officer, or as a convenience, and that these uses are in breach of International Rights Instruments.

How does the process of Correctional reporting to Health staff work? And what do they think they can do to improve the situation?

What are the procedural details on how Corrections information fits into a decision of forensic status? Why are prisoners' complaints showing us they are not receiving adequate information about the process and what medications are being administered to them?

Prisoners have a right to know these things and ask what is going wrong. Prisoners should be offered copies of their medical records and provided with them if they want them.

We question the "very uncommon" statement regarding use of force - and need statistics from Justice Health. Justice Action receives a fair number of incident complaints, and the difference doesn't make sense.

Why are short acting anti-psychotics used with force anyway? Why can't the use of force for depots be banned? We argue prisoner's consent should be sought and the prisoner should be worked with rather than against.

Prisoners should be allowed to work out plans for what actions to take in case of loss of capacity and to communicate and discuss this with Health staff.

A Correctional environment should not prevent that, nor should it obstruct the carrying out of such a plan. This is a right and it is reasonable.

These provisions should allow prisoners to access a psychiatrist in an emergency, eg to express concern that they are deteriorating and to give input into their treatment so as to prevent the use of force or high doses.

Prisoners housed at the HRMU High Risk Management Unit or in other segregation units at all jails end up with mental illness.

The transfer of Juveniles to the Department of Corrective Services from Kariong and the use of isolation were reported to be one way of preventing hostility at the centre? But prisoners who are isolated for prolonged periods end up with mental illness. They can self-harm or even commit suicide.

Furthermore, it can easily be predicted that those placed in isolation will suffer mental illness. These are not necessarily forensic patients but they end up being mentally ill and treated like they're forensic patients - after prolonged periods of isolation?

So you take those prisoners you don't like that cause all the trouble and give them a mental illness as a way to change their offending behaviour. Brilliant?

After a prolonged period of isolation you take them to the long bay prison hospital and they're forced onto medication for the rest of their life, as a way of control. Under the heading prisoners programs this must rate as a complete failure in terms of solving problems, like lack of education, social skills or life skills.

By Gregory Kable and Just Us 7 December 04

Related:

Call for royal commission into NSW prison health system
Mr Tony Ross a social justice activist said yesterday that a royal commission into the health system in NSW should be wide reaching to ensure that the Corrections Health Service is also exposed because of reported widespread cover ups in the prisons health system.

Doctor Ron Woodham I presume?
"Corrections Health staff provide medical care. However, its staff's authority is essentially limited to making recommendations to corrective services on treatment. Corrective services staff can then decide what treatment can be given."

Carr's Castle the real story H.R.M.U.The High Risk Management Unit Goulburn Correctional Centre. A prisoner writes, " I was unsuccessful in my letters to Dr Matthews CEO of the Corrections Health Service on my problem regarding air - claustrophobic effect the cells have on me. Just recently the management decided my injuries are not seriously affecting me so no further discussions are necessary.

A TOTAL ABUSE OF POWER
We the prisoners at the High Risk Management Unit at Goulburn Correctional Centre would like to ask you for help in receiving equal treatment and opportunities as other prisoners throughout the system. As we are told that we are not in a segregation unit but we are treated as though we are in one.

On the treatment of prisoners at the NSW HRMU
Prisoners sister's letter from her brother: Following our phone conversation some weeks ago I would like to set out a few points on the treatment of prisoners in the High Risk Management Unit at Goulburn (Super Max) (Guantanamo Bay).

Review of Justice Ministers claims about conditions at HRMU
There is no fresh air in our cells only Air conditioning pumped out of an 8 x 8-centimetre vent over our beds. Conditions change with filthy moods of the prison guards. Induction clothing "one set" mostly shorts and a prisoner remains there for two weeks depending whatever suits the staff. If a prisoner shuts up about the abuse, and freezing conditions (Goulburn cold in winter hot in summer taking into account you're housed in concrete) then you may go to units 8 or 9.

Watchdogs slaughtered in NSW
On Tuesday the Carr Government reduced transparency and accountability yet again and New South Wales is in danger of becoming entrenched with cronyism and intimidations with the Carr Labor Government that continues to slaughter the watchdogs.

Conditions in the HRMU
Justice Action is trying to obtain documents on behalf of prisoners held in the Goulburn High Risk Management Unit (HRMU) from the Federal Attorney General's Department, Corrective Services Minister's Conference regarding the process described below, in which the Standard Guidelines for Corrections in Australia were adopted. This documentation will help explain the justification for the conditions in the HRMU.

Death in custody: In memory of Scott Simpson
Scott Simpson 34 died in custody on 7 June 2004 leaving behind a child. It is alleged that he hanged himself in a segregation yard at Long Bay Prison Complex. Justice Action has reasons to believe that Scott had been mistreated from the time he was taken into custody and the subsequent events that ensued that led to his sad death. We think that his treatment may well have caused his death.

Justice Denied In NSW Corrective Services
There used to be a (VJ) or Visiting Justice who would go into the prison and judge any claim or accusation that was made by any prisoner or prison guard. If it were found that a prisoner had offended then punishment was metered out.

Escape proof but not so the prisoners mind
Fewer prisoners escape from prison these days because they're "cemented in" by materials that do not break and by legislation that can keep prisoners in jail until they die.