NSW prisoners made more than 32,000 complaints in past year
Inmate complaints rise 60 per cent, leaving experts "completely astonished" as pressure from a growing remand population mounts on the NSW corrections system.
New South Wales prisons saw a 60% increase in inmate complaints to 32,168 in 2025-26, according to the latest annual report by the NSW Inspector of Custodial Services. Corrective Services NSW maintains that rising complaints do not necessarily signal worsening conditions, attributing the increase to factors such as the growing prison population and the presence of more prisoners on remand.
Greens justice spokesperson Sue Higginson suggests that the surge in complaints could be linked to a 2025 law change that lowered the standard of proof for disciplining inmates, leading to accusations of actions inmates may not have committed. The most frequently complained-about issues were medical problems, unfair treatment, and lockdowns.
Official Visitors, appointed community representatives, received 32,168 complaints during the year. Prisoner complaints are typically resolved at the center level, with a small number referred to the Commissioner of CSNSW. The NSW Bureau of Crime Statistics and Applied Research reports a 32% increase in remand prisoners, following stricter bail laws for those accused of serious domestic violence offenses.
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