Taskforce Flaxton

Summary

The report's own summary: Summary and recommendations, pages 12 to 18

In the body's own words

1. Finding

   The CCC found that unique features of the prison environment create corruption risk.

   Taskforce Flaxton - an examination of corruption risks and corruption in Queensland prisons, page 12

2. Opinion

   The CCC is of the view that alleviating prison overcrowding is essential to reducing corruption risk and corruption in Queensland prisons.

   Taskforce Flaxton - an examination of corruption risks and corruption in Queensland prisons, page 12

Findings, opinions and statements

Allegations are not findings. A commission's finding or opinion of corrupt conduct or misconduct is not a finding that a person is guilty of a criminal offence, and the commissions say so in their reports.

No findings are reproduced in this record. This does not establish that the report contains none.

Recommendations 33

1. Recommendation 1

   That QCS: (a) develop a comprehensive measurement strategy to assess the performance of its anti- corruption strategy (b) incorporate anti-corruption performance reporting into appropriate governance committees to ensure appropriate oversight (c) publicly report anti-corruption performance outcomes.

   Report, page 13

2. Recommendation 2

   That QCS revise the way it measures the performance of prisons. The performance framework should: (a) use consistent performance standards and a consistent performance measurement approach across all Queensland prisons (b) include all appropriate cost, input, output, and outcome key performance indicators (including integrity measures and data quality measures) (c) include strategies to improve data availability and data quality (d) provide greater public access to performance indicators and performance reports.

   Report, page 13

3. Recommendation 3

   That QCS review its risk management framework to improve the identification, management and oversight of corruption risk.

   Report, page 13

4. Recommendation 4

   That QCS review its organisational structure to: (a) support the delivery of its ten year strategy (b) provide greater role and function clarity (including span of control, reporting lines, delegations and authorisations, employee performance management) (c) be sufficiently agile to accommodate future changes in the agency’s strategy (d) improve standards, drive performance and deliver efficiencies (e) promote internal communication.

   Report, page 13

5. Recommendation 5

   That, at a minimum, the following functions be centrally controlled and services delivered in line with Service Level Standards: (a) human resources, including the QCS Academy, workforce planning and talent management and rostering (b) finance, including contract management and procurement (c) information technology and digital services (d) facilities and assets (e) ethical standards (f) intelligence.

   Report, page 13

6. Recommendation 6

   That: (a) QCS establish an organisational-wide cultural change program to assess current culture, create a shared vision of the ideal culture, develop and implement initiatives to support cultural change, and monitor and report on the implementation of initiatives and cultural change (b) the organisational-wide cultural change program be monitored by the QCS Board of Management to ensure alignment of culture, strategic intent and performance priorities, and to ensure the program is adequately resourced.

   Report, page 14

7. Recommendation 7

   That: (a) QCS, as contract manager on behalf of the State of Queensland, and private prison providers agree and implement a universal set of culture indicators (b) each prison measure culture on an annual basis and publicly release these findings.

   Report, page 14

8. Recommendation 8

   That QCS: (a) commission an independent capability review to assess the agency’s capability to efficiently and effectively deliver its strategic intent (b) develop strategies to address capability gaps (particularly human resources, information and communication technology, operational performance reporting and ethical standards) (c) monitor strategy development, implementation and outcomes at the QCS Board of Management.

   Report, page 14

9. Recommendation 9

   That QCS: (a) establish a centralised function responsible for policy and practice management throughout the agency to promote performance standards and consistency (b) review Custodial Operations Practice Directives and local instructions to improve clarity and consistency.

   Report, page 14

10. Recommendation 10

    That: (a) Queensland Health implement the recommendations of the Offender Health Services Review Final Report (b) QCS support the implementation of the recommendations of the Offender Health Services Review Final Report (c) QCS and Queensland Health jointly identify aspects of the QCS operating model (systems, policies and practices) that undermine the delivery of prisoner health services and QCS, where feasible, change systems, policies or practices to facilitate better prisoner health outcomes.

    Report, page 14

11. Recommendation 11

    That QCS develop an agency-specific Code of Practice to complement the Code of Conduct.

    Report, page 15

12. Recommendation 12

    That QCS: (a) include QCS values in human resource policy and practice (including recruitment and selection and performance management) (b) review recruitment and selection policy and practice to ensure they are meritorious and transparent (c) strengthen pre-employment screening, vetting and probity processes.

    Report, page 15

13. Recommendation 13

    That QCS develop and implement a formal first year correctional officer graduate program to minimise early exposure to higher-risk environments and provide greater support, training and oversight during initial operational placement.

    Report, page 15

14. Recommendation 14

    That QCS review mandatory refresher training to include training that responds to the needs of the prisoner cohort and targets high-risk corruption areas.

    Report, page 15

15. Recommendation 15

    That QCS develop a staff rotation policy to reduce corruption risk, promote professional development and enhance performance.

    Report, page 15

16. Recommendation 16

    That QCS: (a) establish overtime policies and procedures to reduce opportunities for manipulation (b) review the staffing model in prisons to provide greater flexibility, reduce the need for overtime and support the recommendations proposed in this report (c) establish performance standards for overtime and include overtime as a key performance indicator for prison performance.

    Report, page 15

17. Recommendation 17

    That QCS: (a) implement an agency-wide, electronic system to record conflicts of interest and management action (b) develop and implement a declarable association policy.

    Report, page 15

18. Recommendation 18

    That the Corrective Services Act 2006 be amended to permit an appropriate QCS delegate to direct a person (other than a prisoner) at or entering a prison to submit to a prescribed alcohol/drug test.

    Report, page 15

19. Recommendation 19

    That QCS develop an integrity testing regime to identify and strengthen deficient systems and processes, and support the investigation of people suspected of engaging in corrupt conduct.

    Report, page 15

20. Recommendation 20

    That the Corrective Services Act 2006 be amended to grant broader powers to search staff working in prisons.

    Report, page 16

21. Recommendation 21

    That QCS establish a dedicated human source unit and review its human source management policy and process to comply with contemporary practice standards.

    Report, page 16

22. Recommendation 22

    That QCS review property and exhibit management policies and practices to decrease corruption risk, improve evidentiary value and align with modern standards.

    Report, page 16

23. Recommendation 23

    That QCS: (a) review closed circuit television coverage to reduce high-risk blind spots (b) replace outdated closed circuit television technology to ensure all cameras have the ability to record video footage.

    Report, page 16

24. Recommendation 24

    That QCS: (a) increase the number of body worn cameras used in Queensland prisons (b) revise the body worn camera policy to clearly state when activation is mandatory.

    Report, page 16

25. Recommendation 25

    That QCS increase video conference capacity in prisons to reduce the need to transport prisoners to court and health services.

    Report, page 16

26. Recommendation 26

    That QCS implement an electronic mail process to decrease the volume of mail entering prisons via the postal service.

    Report, page 16

27. Recommendation 27

    That QCS: (a) replace the Integrated Offender Management System with a system that meets recognised information management and security standards (b) in the interim, and with priority, implement “remediation strategies” to reduce the risk that prisoner information can be inappropriately accessed and released (c) identify information management as a strategic risk.

    Report, page 16

28. Recommendation 28

    That QCS: (a) establish an agency-specific Public Interest Disclosure policy and process (b) review the processes and supports available to witnesses and disclosers who are employees (c) improve complaint management processes (consistent with the recommendations made by the Queensland Ombudsman in 2016).

    Report, page 16

29. Recommendation 29

    That QCS review prisoner complaint processes to: (a) improve prisoner understanding of complaint processes (b) increase prisoner confidence in the process (with specific objectives of providing confidentiality and reducing the fear of reprisal) (c) provide greater consistency across prisons.

    Report, page 17

30. Recommendation 30

    That QCS: (a) broaden the remit of the Ethical Standards Unit to provide the following functions: prevention and early intervention, professional standards, integrity policy framework, complaints management, investigation, discipline system, witness support, critical incidents, covert operations, and risk management (b) review the resources, capabilities, systems and processes required to deliver this broader remit (c) implement a staffing model that reduces the risk that staff working in the Ethical Standards Unit will be captured by those who seek to influence the proper delivery of its functions (d) review the discipline process to improve timeliness and provide greater consistency for decisions (e) establish a discipline unit, reporting to the QCS Commissioner and independent from the Ethical Standards Unit, to deal with discipline matters and develop sanction matrices.

    Report, page 17

31. Recommendation 31

    That QCS: (a) establish, within the Ethical Standards Unit, dedicated intelligence staff to focus on staff corruption and integrity (b) align methodologies, systems and processes used to support the intelligence function with contemporary practice standards (c) centralise the intelligence function (see also Recommendation 5(f)) (d) review policies, systems and processes to appropriately secure intelligence information (e) review the intelligence establishment and rostering model to provide an increased level of service to prisons.

    Report, page 17

32. Recommendation 32

    That QCS and Queensland Police Service (QPS) collaboratively review the service delivery model used to investigate criminal offences in prisons. The revised model should: (a) adequately describe the role and function of the Corrective Services Investigation Unit to assist in performance reporting and review (b) ensure that only appropriate incidents are referred to the QPS for investigation (c) ensure that matters are assessed, investigated and resolved in a timely manner (d) maximise information sharing between QPS and QCS (e) reduce corruption risk for QPS investigators working in prisons (f) facilitate the use of innovative investigative methods.

    Report, page 17

33. Recommendation 33

    The CCC recommends: (a) the establishment of a properly resourced Independent Inspectorate of Prisons (b) the development of nationally consistent inspection standards, cycles, methods and reporting templates (c) inspection reports be made publicly available.

    Report, page 18

Published responses 1

• Government Response

  Agency response

  CCC public hearing page

Hearing transcripts: evidence, not findings 36

What a witness or counsel says at a hearing is evidence or submission, not a finding. Transcripts are the publisher's copies, including its redactions, listed newest first by month.

Case

Taskforce Flaxton

Hearings page

Hearings page on ccc.qld.gov.au

Coverage

This publisher

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