Juris Doctor graduate from Melbourne Law School at the University of Melbourne.
J Law Med. 2022 Mar;29(1):67-84.
With high rates of blood-borne virus infection in Australian prisons, a needle and syringe program (NSP) stands ready to deliver similar benefits to its community counterpart. Supplying sterile injecting equipment and safe-use guidance in prisons could improve prisoner health outcomes and the safety of the corrections system. Yet, despite the protestations of public health experts and the recommendations of State, national, and international bodies, Australian States and Territories refuse to implement prison-based NSPs, with serious consequences for prisoner health. This article focuses on the Australian State of Victoria as a case study representative of other jurisdictions. Victoria's inaction is arguably in breach of international standards and the Victorian Charter of Human Rights and Responsibilities, but less likely to constitute a breach of the common law duty of care. Undertaking a legal analysis of these areas, this article examines the potential of each area to support the case for reform of the Victorian Government's policy on a prison-based NSP. Looking ahead, this article suggests reforms to ensure the proper functioning and administration of prison NSPs.
由于澳大利亚监狱中血液传播病毒的感染率很高，因此，一个针具交换项目（NSP）准备为其社区对应项目提供类似的好处。在监狱中提供无菌注射设备和安全使用指导，可以改善囚犯的健康状况，并提高监狱系统的安全性。然而，尽管公共卫生专家提出抗议，而且州、国家和国际机构也提出了建议，但澳大利亚各州和地区仍拒绝在监狱中实施 NSP，这对囚犯的健康造成了严重后果。本文以澳大利亚维多利亚州为案例研究，该州代表了其他司法管辖区。维多利亚州的不作为可以说是违反了国际标准和《维多利亚州人权和责任宪章》，但不太可能构成对普通法注意义务的违反。本文对这些领域进行了法律分析，探讨了每个领域支持改革维多利亚州政府监狱 NSP 政策的可能性。展望未来，本文提出了一些改革建议，以确保监狱 NSP 的正常运作和管理。
