Crime victims to be kept informed about offenders who move interstate

Corrective Services Minister Judy Spence today said that, in a victory for victims of crime, they will be kept informed about offenders who transfer to prisons in other states.

Ms Spence said: “At a meeting of Corrective Services Ministers in Sydney today I was pleased that other ministers agreed with my submission that all states would assist victims to apply to victims’ registers in other jurisdictions.

“Queensland has chaired a working group to look at ways of keeping victims up to date with information about offenders.

“The system works satisfactorily if the offender remains jailed in the same state as the victim.

“However, if an offender moves to an interstate prison then problems can arise.

“For instance, a victim may qualify for a victims’ register in one state but not another.

“Today it was agreed that, when an offender is transferred, both the state receiving the prisoner and the state transferring the prisoner will help the victim apply to the victims’ register.

“If the victim doesn’t qualify then the transferring state will submit a ‘Registration of Interest’ on behalf of the victim.

“In this way victims will be told what concerns them the most – the release and parole dates of their offender.

“This will be welcome news to victims who are really entitled to this information,” Ms Spence said.

The conference also considered technology to jam mobile phones within prisons.

Ms Spence said: “There are constant attempts to smuggle mobile phones into prisons and they pose a serious risk to security.

“It is important we use all technology available to prevent mobile phones being used to plan escapes or drugs being brought into prison.

“At present federal law makes it illegal to use mobile phone jammers but the Commonwealth has agreed to reconsider this prohibition so that this technology can be used in prisons,” Ms Spence said.

Media contact: 3239 6218