NSW Ombudsman slams 24/7 prisoner lock-in as 'unlawful and oppressive'

New South Wales Ombudsman Paul Miller has delivered a scathing assessment of Corrective Services NSW (CSNSW), labeling the prolonged 24/7 lockdown of inmates as both 'unlawful and oppressive'. The report details how 33 inmates in protective custody at the South Coast Correctional Centre were confined to their cells for extended periods, in some cases up to three months, significantly exceeding legal requirements.

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Had complaints not been made to us, it is not clear how long this situation would have continued.

Under NSW law, all inmates are entitled to a minimum of two hours of open-air exercise daily. However, the report found that these 33 inmates were only permitted out for essential health, legal, or court appointments during March and early April 2025. The Ombudsman's investigation suggests the lock-ins likely began around January 2025 due to an increase in protective custody prisoners requiring overflow accommodation, a situation described as 'clearly foreseeable and avoidable'.

Mr. Miller stated that the excessive lock-downs only ceased after multiple complaints were lodged with his office in April 2025. He expressed concern that senior CSNSW executives claimed unawareness of the situation, questioning how much longer it might have continued without external intervention. The Ombudsman also criticized CSNSW's repeated failure to provide requested documents promptly, deeming it 'unlawful and wrong'.

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The influx of inmates kept in isolation and subsequent issues were clearly foreseeable and avoidable.

The investigation further revealed that similar 24/7 lock-ins were occurring at other correctional facilities across the state, including Parklea, Metropolitan Remand and Reception Centre, and Cessnock Correctional Centre. While CSNSW acknowledged issues at Clarence and Mid North Coast Correctional Centres, poor record-keeping prevented the Ombudsman from verifying the extent of the problem there. A CSNSW spokesperson indicated the department is reviewing the findings and exploring alternative placement options for inmates in protective custody.

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Ultimately, we did receive information from them eight months after we asked for it, and it was still in...