Overcrowding, COVID restrictions to blame for unrest at Hobart's Risdon Prison, critics say

Inmates are seen being escorted by law enforcement staff at Risdon Prison

As the dust settles following the latest incident at Tasmania's Risdon Prison, critics say Wednesday night's unrest was the unsurprising result of overcrowding and coronavirus restrictions at a facility under constant strain.

In a statement on Friday, Tasmania Police said "five male prisoners will be charged with arson in relation to the incident at Risdon Prison on Wednesday".

"Two 18-year-olds, a 21-year-old, a 28-year-old and a 30-year-old remain in custody and will each be summonsed to appear in the Hobart Magistrates Court at a later date, the statement read.

Tactical response teams were called to respond to the prison on Wednesday about 7:30pm, after reports of multiple fires in the medium-security section.

Ultimately no one was injured, but the union representing correctional officers has reiterated warnings that the facility is a "powder keg ready to go off."

An investigation is now underway.

Unrest at Risdon Prison is far from unheard of, but calls for a timely solution have been growing.

In 2018, five prison guards were taken to hospital after being attacked by inmates in maximum security, with at least one sustaining a head injury. 

There have been a number of incidents of unrest at the prison. (ABC News: David Fraser)

A year earlier there was a standoff between correctional officers and 40 inmates who refused to return to their accommodation, because of the withdrawal of nicotine therapy. 

In 2010, six officers were sent to hospital after a riot in which a prisoner was held hostage by another inmate.

Prisoner numbers have surged in the past decade, growing 30 per cent in the five years to 2018, leading to skyrocketing numbers of inmate lockdowns. 

Australian Bureau of Statistics data shows Tasmania's prison population has been hovering in the mid-600s since at least 2018, with a population of 644 recorded for the December quarter of 2020. 

A 2019 Custodial Inspector report on the adult prison system found Tasmania was failing to meet standards for ensuring inmates have enough time out of their cells each day due to the significant number of regular and frequent lock downs, "and the situation is continuing to worsen".

Critics say overcrowding and the impact of coronavirus restrictions at Risdon Prison were most likely behind Wednesday's unrest. (ABC News: David Hudspeth)

Prisoners Legal Service chairman Greg Barns, SC, said the overcrowded environment of Risdon Prison, coupled with coronavirus restrictions on visitation and regular lock downs, were likely behind the latest incident. 

Mr Barns said reform was needed, with many people stuck in the system either on remand or unable to get parole because of Tasmania's housing crisis. 

A group of prominent Tasmanians, including former politicians, last month called for the government to ditch plans to build a new northern prison to instead focus on preventative and rehabilitative services.

Thirza White from the Community and Public Sector Union said correctional officers performed dangerous jobs, and understaffing and overcrowding made their jobs more dangerous.

"When things go wrong, they can go wrong really quickly and with significant consequences," she said. 

"There's no doubt that overcrowding and understaffing increase the likelihood of these incidents."

Risdon Prison was the site of unrest on Wednesday night. (ABC News: Luke Bowden)

The Liberal government has promised to build a new northern prison near Westbury, but the project has faced significant community opposition and its timeline is unclear.

Liberal MP Guy Barnett said the prison service should be congratulated for its response to Wednesday's incident. 

Asked whether the prison service was resourced appropriately, Mr Barnett said: "I'm not the minister for corrections, but in terms of the response, it was swift, it dealt with the matter, there were no serious injuries and there will be an investigation."