The treatment of inmates in Northern Territory prisons is a "national crisis," according to a leading justice organisation.
There has been criticism levelled at the Territory's carceral system, with data from last month revealing the NT currently houses 2324 inmates with only 2177 beds across the prisons and work camps.
On Friday the National Network of Formerly Incarcerated Women and Girls (National Network) said the situation had become untenable, arguing the justice system in the NT had reached breaking point.
"In Darwin, women face overcrowded and inhumane conditions in a facility originally built to house 80 people but now holding over 100," Network member Debbie Kilroy said.
Corrections Commissioner Matthew Varley admitted last month women were sleeping on mattresses on the floor due to a lack of space.
"I'm not going to make any apologies for the fact that these prisoners are on mattresses on the floor. They're on mattresses in watch houses, I'd point out, and these ones here in prison actually have access to better facilities than they do in watch houses," Mr Varley said.
Ms Kilroy was highly critical of the treatment, calling it a "human rights violation".
"Women are forced to sleep on mattresses on the floor, air conditioning frequently fails, and on some days, women are kept outside in oppressive heat with minimal shade," she said.
At the end of October, approximately 35 female prisoners from the Alice Spring Correctional Centre (ASCC) boarded a chartered flight to be sent to Darwin Correctional Centre (DCC), whilst 20 men disembarked a flight in Alice Springs from Darwin, where they are now incarcerated at ASCC.
Citing increased arrests and remand, Mr Varley initiated six emergency actions last month.
NT Corrections Minister Gerard Maley defended Mr Varley and his "decisive action to address this evolving emergency situation," arguing it "isn't about competing priorities; we are committed to protecting the community and safeguarding our corrections system".
Corrective Services data from the June Quarter showed an average daily imprisonment rate in the NT of 1,150.8 per 100,000 people—3.4 times higher than the next highest jurisdiction, WA.
Elsewhere, the decision to transition youth inmates from the refurbished Alice Springs Youth Detention Centre to a facility in Darwin - resulting in children being housed 1500 km away from their family and culture - has been criticised.
Aboriginal Medical Services Alliance Northern Territory (AMSANT) chief executrive Dr John Paterson said the decision would "disproportionately" impact vulnerable Indigenous children, exacerbating the impacts of the recently announced lowering of the age of criminal responsibility to 10-years-of-age, while NT children's commissioner, Shahleena Musk, said she was "deeply concerned" by the announcement.
Network Member Tabitha Lean said the decision shows a "blatant disregard for the importance of family connections, cultural ties, and the well-being of children".
"It is yet another way the legal system is operating to destroy Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander families, perpetuating intergenerational trauma, and working to create another Stolen Generation," Ms Lean said.
The National Network said a "bail crisis" in Mparntwe, where inmates - many refused bail and held on remand - were receiving treatment amounting to "torture", needed to be immediately rectified.
They argued conditions for prisoners included a lack of natural light and access to fresh air; no opportunities for exercise or education; no access to phone calls or personal visits; and overcrowded cells with 24-hour exposure to artificial lights.
The system is a national crisis Ms Kilroy said, adding people were regularly subject to "degrading and dehumanising conditions".
"Children are being ripped from their families; women are being forced into overcrowded cells and left without basic necessities; vulnerable people on remand are being denied their legal rights," she argued.
"When are we going to say enough?"
