Officers at the Alice Springs Correctional Centre say they're burnt out and at breaking point, as severe staffing shortages continue.
A new report released by the United Workers Union (UWU) has revealed 95 per cent of the 100 Alice Springs correctional officers surveyed felt "unsafe" at work.
UWU NT secretary Erina Early said staff were copping "constant" verbal attacks, with many regularly punched or spat on.
This comes as the prison operates at half its minimum staffing requirements on some days, the union said.
They said it was putting workers and prisoners under critical stress — and at serious risk.
"I'm quite concerned that these officers could make a mistake," Ms Early said.
"They could do something with security of the prison, they could do something that could impact themselves, impact a prisoner."
Strain on staff
The Territory's overflowing prison population reached a new record last month at 2,000 inmates.
As at midnight Monday, there were 644 inmates at the Alice Springs prison, hovering close to its operational capacity of 650.
Ms Early said many workers were putting in extensive overtime to fill critical staffing gaps.
"The officers are doing three to four times what they normally do for a correctional officer," she said.
The workers have tried striking over pay and conditions, with a new wages deal up for negotiation next year.
Former corrections officer — the opposition's Bill Yan — said they needed better pay and staffing solutions, soon.
"What I hear from prison officers is they're tired, they're overworked, they're worn out and they need some time off," he said.
Report shows extent of struggle
The union report revealed 57 per cent of officers surveyed felt the prison's management didn't care about their health and safety.
Almost 90 per cent of respondents said they didn't have faith in management decisions, with many saying they felt "undervalued".
More than 90 per cent of officers surveyed said they felt "tired, exhausted or depressed" before, during and after shifts.
"I'm just really worried that someone may feel like they've got nowhere to turn to with their mental health," Ms Early said.
"We don't want to be in a position where we react to a very sad situation. We want to address everything now with mental health."
NT Attorney General Chansey Paech said he spent a number of hours at the prison over the weekend, meeting with staff and hearing their struggles firsthand.
"I certainly gave a commitment to take them on board and go back and review them with the corrections commissioner on how we can drive reform," he said.
"We need a system that puts the safety of staff and of people in the correctional system front and centre."
No incentives to attract workers
Large percentages of officers surveyed also felt NT Corrections wasn't doing enough to recruit or retain staff.
The union said there were currently no incentives in place to attract workers to the prison.
This comes as the region also grapples with increased cost of living pressures, a housing shortage and worsening crime.
The NT Government said it was in discussions with union officials on what incentives could be introduced, but hasn't provided any details.
"Making sure that we continue to make it appealing and look at those retentions is a priority I know of mine and the commissioner of correctional services," Mr Paech said.
The NT Department of Justice said it was continuing to send officers down from Darwin on a voluntary basis, to help support the Alice Springs centre.
