The idea of using dogs to control prison inmates, which has outraged prison reform advocates, may yet be considered.
A Corrections Department working group established last year to investigate ways of improving staff safety didn't explicitly consider the option of introducing dogs to control violent prisoners, but has suggested that further research could be undertaken in this area.
Beven Hanlon, president of the prison officers' union the Corrections Association, says every state in Australia uses attack dogs in prisons and it's a good way of dealing with violent inmates.
That's why Australian prisons don't have the same level of violence as here, Mr Hanlon says.
The Corrections Department says it already uses dogs to detect contraband, but careful consideration is required before introducing them for any other purpose.
Big no to double-bunking proposal
Meanwhile, prison guards have made it clear that they don't support the department's proposal to extend the use of double-bunking in cells.
The department has been negotiating with unions to amend the maximum operating capacity provided for under prison officers' collective employment agreements.
Double-bunking allows more prisoners to be accommodated in each cell.
Mr Hanlon says that when delegates presented the proposal to union members at every prison in the country, almost everyone said they didn't want to see more cell-sharing.
Guards are sympathetic to the department's need to find more prison beds, he says, but other options should be considered.
The department says it's continuing to work with the unions in good faith and is not prepared to negotiate with them through the media.
