Criminal justice system—prison sentences

Tabled Report 4: 2016–17

Tabled date

2016-11-29

Report year

2016-17

Justice and public order

Entities audited

Not identified in the published HTML audit scope.

Recommendations

1. QAO's text Addressed to: the Department of Justice and Attorney‑General in collaboration with the Queensland Police Service

   better integrate the sentencing administration processes and quality assurance to reduce the risk of error, including:

   • improving the sharing of sentencing information and documents across criminal justice entities
   • making greater use of technology such as remote (electronic) appearance of prisoners in court to reduce process, communication, and data entry errors associated with the transfer of prisoners; and providing means for direct entry of sentence orders into QWIC
   • strengthening quality assurance practices.

2. QAO's text Addressed to: the Department of Justice and Attorney‑General in collaboration with the Queensland Police Service

   assess the need to review relevant sentencing legislation to reduce the complexity of sentence calculations

3. QAO's text Addressed to: the Department of Justice and Attorney‑General in collaboration with the Queensland Police Service

   ensure the appropriate capacity, capability, and training of staff responsible for the calculation and administration of sentences across the criminal justice system is in place

4. QAO's text Addressed to: the Department of Justice and Attorney‑General in collaboration with the Queensland Police Service

   improve the accuracy and level of detail recorded about discharge and detention errors. Consolidate the recording and reporting of the errors within and across the three entities 

5. QAO's text Addressed to: formalise, implement, or update where necessary, policies and procedures for responding to, managing, reporting, and investigating discharge and detention errors. Policies and procedures

   formalise, implement, or update where necessary, policies and procedures for responding to, managing, reporting, and investigating discharge and detention errors. Policies and procedures should address as a minimum:

   • communication protocols for prisoners affected by, and individuals potentially at risk from, discharge and detention
   • assessment of risk to the community and individuals and where needed mitigation strategies
   • reporting requirements within individual entities and across the criminal justice system
   • investigation of discharge and detention errors (collaboratively where appropriate)
   • quality checks to ensure that processes are followed.

    

Authoritative report — Queensland Audit Office

Report PDF on QAO