The reliance on temporary beds to accommodate the rising number of prisoners in NSW is putting the safety of inmates and staff at risk, an audit has found.
The state's prison population grew by about 40 per cent between 2012 and 2018, according to a report by the NSW Auditor-General published on Friday.
To cope with the demand, the NSW Department of Justice has doubled-up and tripled-up the number of beds in prison cells and reactivated previously-closed jails.
But relying on these measures is inefficient and over a long period contributes to prison crowding, the audit found.
"It has increased risks to staff and prisoner safety, and timely inmate access to prisoner support services and programs," the report said.
the NSW Department of Justice has doubled-up and tripled-up the number of beds in prison cells and reactivated previously-closed jails. Source: AAP
"In addition, the cost per prisoner per day increased over the past two years."
Growing prisoner numbers have coincided with an increase in assaults between inmates and on staff, as well as waitlists for key programs.
The report criticised the NSW government's response, noting the department had advised it of the impact of rising prisoner numbers in 2013 but did not receive significant funding until 2015-16.
But a spokeswoman for NSW Corrections pointed to multi-million dollar spends on the prison system by way of counterpoint.
Among them, a $330 million spend over four years on rehabilitation programs to reduce recidivism which began in 2017.
"High-intensity program units" now focus on domestic and violent offenders as well as units for the specific needs of Aboriginal and female inmates, the spokeswoman added.
The spokeswoman also pointed to slight reductions in the levels of assault over the last two years.
"We continue to monitor and review procedures to improve safety for staff and inmates," she said.
The report acknowledged the department's strategy to respond to the long-term projected growth in the prison population - three versions of which have been endorsed by the government - but also that "it has yet to be funded".
"DOJ should continue to highlight the urgency of this issue until it is addressed, as it prevents planned actions to improve system efficiency and effectiveness," the audit recommended.
The government in 2016 announced a $3.8 billion program to provide immediate, medium and long-term capacity - and within 18 months two rapid-build dormitory-style prisons were delivered.
The government spokeswoman pointed out that spend created more than 1000 new beds; 400 at the Macquarie Correctional Centre and 400 at the Hunter Correctional Centre along with "recommissioned" existing facilities.
But, with the extra capacity mainly in regional NSW, the department still projects a shortfall in capacity in the Sydney metropolitan region from 2022, the audit found.
"This audit identifies that the NSW government has been advised on the risk that the NSW prison system will not be able to effectively accommodate the projected inmate population in the medium to long-term," the report said.
"While funding has been provided to address immediate and short-term needs, DOJ has forecast that longer-term growth will exceed the additional capacity that this funding has provided."
It recommends the government "settle" its objectives to deal with the forecasted growth and invest accordingly.
