The NT government's new bail laws are tipped to lead to more prison sentences, threatening to increase workloads for prison officers.
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00:00This week in Alice Springs Prison, there have been rolling lockdowns and just a few overworked
00:08officers.
00:09We have had two or three officers dealing with 700 prisoners.
00:12Amid a surge in prisoner numbers, the union representing around 500 staff in the NT prison
00:17system say their members are at breaking point.
00:21The tensions between officers and management are rising and it's rising rapidly.
00:25They're exhausted.
00:26They're working 16 hour shifts.
00:29There is an expectation that these officers need to come in early before their shift and
00:33to stay back.
00:34The police commissioner expecting that pressure on the system to mount amid a surge in domestic
00:39violence call outs and arrests over the new year.
00:43We look at up to 100 calls a day.
00:45Tomorrow will increase probably, I think it's about up to 20%.
00:48It's people who are at home together, spending a lot more time together, drinking a lot more,
00:54family visiting and tensions fray.
00:56That comes a week before the rollout of Declan's Law, the centrepiece of the government's winning
01:00election pitch.
01:02The Attorney General today declaring the government will push even harder if the tweaks to bail
01:06laws don't result in more jail sentences.
01:09If those details emerge that it's not working and our community are still not safe and those
01:15numbers continue to soar, then we will ensure that we do everything that we can so that
01:21our community is safe.
01:23There were 21 alleged breaches of bail heard in the NT courts today, cases which weren't
01:28judged under the NT's new laws.
01:30But the government anticipates that from next week, a breach of bail charge will more likely
01:35result in a jail term and that'll be after a busy 24 hours for police.
01:40Historically we've seen up to 50 arrests every New Year's Eve and New Year's Day, so we're
01:46preparing for that but we hope that's not the reality.
01:48A crisis expected to worsen before it improves.