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“I Needed Help, Instead I Was Punished” Abuse and Neglect of Prisoners with Disabilities in Australia

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“I Needed Help, Instead I Was Punished” Abuse and Neglect of Prisoners with Disabilities in Australia HUMAN “I Needed Help, RIGHTS Instead I Was Punished” WATCH Abuse and Neglect of Prisoners with Disabilities in Australia “I Needed Help, Instead I Was Punished” Abuse and Neglect of Prisoners with Disabilities in Australia Copyright © 2018 Human Rights Watch All rights reserved. Printed in the United States of America ISBN: 978-1-6231-35706 Cover design by Rafael Jimenez Human Rights Watch defends the rights of people worldwide. We scrupulously investigate abuses, expose the facts widely, and pressure those with power to respect rights and secure justice. Human Rights Watch is an independent, international organization that works as part of a vibrant movement to uphold human dignity and advance the cause of human rights for all. Human Rights Watch is an international organization with staff in more than 40 countries, and offices in Amsterdam, Beirut, Berlin, Brussels, Chicago, Geneva, Goma, Johannesburg, London, Los Angeles, Moscow, Nairobi, New York, Paris, San Francisco, Sydney, Tokyo, Toronto, Tunis, Washington DC, and Zurich. For more information, please visit our website: http://www.hrw.org FEBRUARY 2018 ISBN: 978-1-6231-35706 “I Needed Help, Instead I Was Punished” Abuse and Neglect of Prisoners with Disabilities in Australia Map .................................................................................................................................... i Terms ................................................................................................................................. ii Summary ........................................................................................................................... 1 At-Risk of Abuse .......................................................................................................... 3 Sexual Violence ................................................................................................................. 3 Physical Violence ...............................................................................................................4 Bullying and Harassment ................................................................................................... 5 Solitary Confinement .......................................................................................................... 5 Lack of Adequate and Appropriate Services and Trained Staff ......................................... 6 Problematic Conditions of Confinement ........................................................................ 6 Looking Ahead ............................................................................................................ 7 Key Recommendations ....................................................................................................... 9 To State and Territory Governments .............................................................................. 9 To the Federal Government ........................................................................................... 9 Methodology .................................................................................................................... 10 I. Context .......................................................................................................................... 15 Overview of Prisons in Australia ................................................................................. 15 Overview of Prisons in Western Australia and Queensland ............................................ 16 Over-Imprisonment of At-Risk Populations .................................................................. 17 Over-Imprisonment of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples ................................. 19 Over-Imprisonment of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Women with Disabilities ......... 23 Barriers to Justice ...................................................................................................... 25 Unfair Laws ............................................................................................................... 27 II. Life Behind Bars for People with Disabilities ................................................................. 29 Sexual, Physical, and Verbal Violence ......................................................................... 29 Sexual Violence ............................................................................................................... 30 Physical Violence ............................................................................................................. 33 Verbal Abuse ................................................................................................................... 34 Racism Against Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Prisoners ......................................... 35 Bullying and Harassment ........................................................................................... 37 Solitary Confinement ................................................................................................. 39 Types of Solitary Confinement .......................................................................................... 43 III. Problematic Confinement Conditions for ...................................................................... 58 People with Disabilities .................................................................................................... 58 Overcrowding ............................................................................................................ 58 Lack of Accessibility .................................................................................................. 61 Physical Barriers .............................................................................................................. 61 Communication Barriers ................................................................................................... 65 Inadequate or Delayed Access to Medical Services ...................................................... 66 Lack of Proper Disability Assessment .............................................................................. 66 Delays in Medical Care ..................................................................................................... 67 Lack of Adequate Resources ............................................................................................ 69 Inadequate Training and Negative Staff Attitudes ........................................................ 71 Punitive Responses to Disability ....................................................................................... 71 IV. Legal Framework ......................................................................................................... 74 Key International Obligations ..................................................................................... 74 Right to Equality and Non-Discrimination .................................................................... 75 Rights of Women with Disabilities ............................................................................... 77 Right to an Accessible Environment ............................................................................ 78 Right to Freedom from Exploitation, Violence and Abuse .............................................. 79 Right to Health .......................................................................................................... 79 Right to Liberty and Security of the Person .................................................................. 81 Key Domestic Obligations .......................................................................................... 82 Laws on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities ................................................................ 82 Corrective Services Legislation ........................................................................................ 82 Detailed Recommendations .............................................................................................. 84 Recommendations for the Commonwealth ................................................................... 84 To the Federal Government .............................................................................................. 84 To the Parliament of Australia .......................................................................................... 84 Recommendations for State and Territory Governments ................................................ 84 To Ministers for Corrective Services ................................................................................. 84 To Commissioners of Corrective Services .......................................................................... 85 To Ministers of Health ..................................................................................................... 86 To Inspectors of Custodial Services ................................................................................. 86 To State Parliaments ........................................................................................................ 87 Additional Recommendations ........................................................................................... 88 Acknowledgments ............................................................................................................ 91 Map I HUMAN RIGHTS WATCH | FEBRUARY 2018 Terms Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples: The first inhabitants of Australia. The Australia government defines an Aboriginal person as “someone who: is of Aboriginal descent;
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