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Drugs in prison spike under Labor’s COVID-19 lockdown

Confirmation that key drugs and contraband within Victorian prisons have spiked during COVID-19 is the latest failure of Victoria’s corrections system under Daniel Andrews. 

Data from Corrections Victoria’s monthly Drugs in Victorian Prisons Report has highlighted an alarming increase in dangerous drugs and contraband over the March to July 2020 period when compared to 2019, including;  

  • Heroin replacement drug Buprenorphine up 14.33% 
  • Alcohol and “home brew” up 51.46% 
  • Syringes and needles up 58.79%  

This increase comes despite the suspension of in person visits since March 2020, prisons operating under stricter conditions and lockdowns, and on average approximately 700 fewer inmates within Victorian prisons across this period.

Under Daniel Andrews, Victoria is operating the most expensive, yet worst performing prisons in the nation and with drugs spiking when prisons are in lockdown, it is little wonder why Victoria continues to have a revolving door justice system. 

Comments attributable to Shadow Minister for Corrections, David Southwick: 

“If Daniel Andrews can’t even keep drugs and contraband out of our prisons during lockdown, then it’s little wonder why Labor is operating the worst performing corrections system in the nation with a turnstile of prisoner reoffending.  

“Under Daniel Andrews, Victoria has become the drug capital of the nation and with more and more drugs on the street and in our prisons, what chance do inmates have of turning their lives around and getting on the right path?”

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