Alice Springs Women's Correctional Facility

148 Pages·2017·2.09 MB·English

by  Chloe Haskell

Ombudsman NT Investigation Report

Women in Prison II - Alice Springs
Women’s Correctional Facility

Volume 2 of 2

May 2017

Abbreviated references
ASCC Alice Springs Correctional Centre
ASWCF Alice Springs Women’s Correctional Facility
Bangkok Rules United Nations Rules for the Treatment of Women Prisoners
and Non-custodial Measures for Women Offenders
Corrections, Correctional Services, The entity responsible for correctional services functions
DCS, NTCS, NTDCS
CPT Subcommittee on Prevention of Torture and Other Cruel,
Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment
DCC, DCP Darwin Correctional Centre
Department, AGD Department of the Attorney-General and Justice
Hamburger Report A safer Northern Territory through correctional
interventions: Report of the review of the Northern Territory
Department of Correctional Services (2016)
Nelson Mandela Rules United Nations Standard Minimum Rules for the Treatment
of Prisoners
OPCAT Optional Protocol to the United Nations Convention against
Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or
Punishment
Standard Guidelines Standard Guidelines for Corrections in Australia
Tokyo Rules United Nations Standard Minimum Rules for Non-custodial
Measures
Women in Prison I Women in prison: Report of the investigation into complaints
from women prisoners at Darwin Correctional Centre, NT
Ombudsman (2008)
Women in Prison II This investigation and report
European CPT Standards European Committee for the Prevention of Torture and
Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (CPT)
Standards (revised 2015)

Contents
INTRODUCTION ........................................................................................................................... 1
CHAPTER 9- OVERCROWDING: PRESENT AND PROJECTED ............................................................. 3
Prisoner and stakeholder comments .................................................................................................. 3
Relevant standards ............................................................................................................................. 4
Other references ................................................................................................................................. 5
Measuring overcrowding .................................................................................................................... 7
Capacity ............................................................................................................................................... 7
Design v Total v Operating .............................................................................................................. 7
Performance against design capacity in Australia .......................................................................... 8
Design capacity of ASWCF ............................................................................................................... 8
ASWCF utilisation rate .................................................................................................................. 10
Cell space .......................................................................................................................................... 12
Minimum cell space requirements ............................................................................................... 12
Cell Space at ASWCF ..................................................................................................................... 13
Corrections input .............................................................................................................................. 15
Ombudsman comments .................................................................................................................... 16
CHAPTER 10: HOUSING AND FACILITY ISSUES ............................................................................. 18
Toilets/showers ................................................................................................................................. 18
Laundry facilities inside sleeping area .............................................................................................. 19
Undercover seating ........................................................................................................................... 19
Women’s cottage .............................................................................................................................. 20
Indigenous Cultural Precinct ............................................................................................................. 21
Objectives...................................................................................................................................... 21
Infrastructure ................................................................................................................................ 22
Female access to other parts of the prison ...................................................................................... 23
Time out of cell and Lockdown ......................................................................................................... 24
Relevant references ...................................................................................................................... 25
Unscheduled Lockdown ................................................................................................................ 26
Housing female prisoners in G block ................................................................................................ 27
Stakeholder concerns.................................................................................................................... 27
Information provided by Corrections ........................................................................................... 28
Separation of men and women .................................................................................................... 30
Separate confinement .................................................................................................................. 31
Conditions in G Block .................................................................................................................... 35
Housing remand and sentenced prisoners together ........................................................................ 36
Relevant standards and other references .................................................................................... 37
CHAPTER 11: PROGRAMS – EDUCATION AND REHABILITATION ................................................... 39
Prisoner and stakeholder concerns .................................................................................................. 39
Relevant standards ........................................................................................................................... 42
Other references ............................................................................................................................... 44
Reintegration and post-release support ....................................................................................... 48
NT situation ....................................................................................................................................... 50
Program statistics .......................................................................................................................... 50
Women in Prison 1 ........................................................................................................................ 51
Corrections information and comments ....................................................................................... 54
Program processes ........................................................................................................................ 56
Program records ........................................................................................................................... 57
Ombudsman comment ..................................................................................................................... 58
Need for increased emphasis on tailored programs .................................................................... 59
Program variability ........................................................................................................................ 59
Program accessibility .................................................................................................................... 61
Limited support facilities ............................................................................................................... 61
Online learning .............................................................................................................................. 61
Monitoring and evaluation ........................................................................................................... 62
The way forward ........................................................................................................................... 62
ASCC programs available to women - 2015 ...................................................................................... 64
CHAPTER 12: EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES ............................................................................. 71
Prisoner and stakeholder comments ................................................................................................ 71
Relevant standards ........................................................................................................................... 72
Other references ............................................................................................................................... 74
NT situation ....................................................................................................................................... 75
Comparison of male and female employment ............................................................................. 77
Employment Officer ...................................................................................................................... 81
Ombudsman comments .................................................................................................................... 81
CHAPTER 13 – HEALTH CARE ....................................................................................................... 83
Prisoner and stakeholder concerns .................................................................................................. 83
Relevant standards ........................................................................................................................... 84
Other references ............................................................................................................................... 93
NT situation ....................................................................................................................................... 97
Ombudsman comments .................................................................................................................. 100
Hearing impairment .................................................................................................................... 101
CHAPTER 14: THE BASICS .......................................................................................................... 103
Clothing and hygiene ...................................................................................................................... 103
Prisoner concerns ....................................................................................................................... 103
Relevant standards ..................................................................................................................... 103
NT situation ................................................................................................................................. 104
Ombudsman comment ............................................................................................................... 105
Food ................................................................................................................................................ 106
Prisoner and stakeholder concerns ............................................................................................ 106
Relevant standards ..................................................................................................................... 107
Other references ......................................................................................................................... 107
NT situation ................................................................................................................................. 108
Ombudsman comment ............................................................................................................... 108
Recreational activities ..................................................................................................................... 109
Prisoner and stakeholder concerns ............................................................................................ 109
Relevant standards ..................................................................................................................... 111
Relevant literature ...................................................................................................................... 112
NT situation ................................................................................................................................. 114
Ombudsman comment ............................................................................................................... 116
CHAPTER 15 - UNDERLYING SUPPORTS ..................................................................................... 121
Induction ......................................................................................................................................... 121
Communicating content ............................................................................................................. 121
Consultation and review ............................................................................................................. 122
Culture and religion ........................................................................................................................ 122
Legal assistance ............................................................................................................................... 123
Relevant standards ..................................................................................................................... 123
NT situation ................................................................................................................................. 123
Ombudsman comment ............................................................................................................... 124
Legal Handbook........................................................................................................................... 125
Making complaints .......................................................................................................................... 125
Prisoner concerns ....................................................................................................................... 125
Relevant standards ..................................................................................................................... 126
NT situation ................................................................................................................................. 127
Ombudsman comment ............................................................................................................... 128
Interpreters ..................................................................................................................................... 129
Relevant standards ..................................................................................................................... 129
Other references ......................................................................................................................... 130
NT position .................................................................................................................................. 131
Ombudsman comment ............................................................................................................... 131
CHAPTER 16 - CHILDREN IN PRISON .......................................................................................... 133
Stakeholder concerns ..................................................................................................................... 133
Relevant standards ......................................................................................................................... 133
Other references ............................................................................................................................. 134
NT situation ..................................................................................................................................... 137
Ombudsman comment ................................................................................................................... 139
INTRODUCTION
1. This is the second volume of a report into the conditions of women at the Alice Springs
Women’s Correctional Facility (ASWCF).
2. Volume 1 set the scene by looking at the prisoners, the prison and the growing problem of
incarceration rates, particularly for women. It then discussed the need to differentiate
between prisoners and assess and address their needs separately, particularly in this case in
relation to female prisoners, the overwhelming majority of whom are Indigenous.
3. It went on to talk about the need for fundamental change to the system and the changes that
are needed. It wrapped up with a synopsis of particular issues identified for women held
within the Alice Springs Correctional Centre (ASCC) that mean change is an unavoidable
necessity.
4. Volume 2 discusses the specific issues raised by prisoners and stakeholders in detail, providing
background in the form of international and national standards and other references and
information about current practices in the NT.
5. It suggests that many current strategies, policies and practices require review and raises
numerous issues for consideration by the NT Government and Corrections in the course of
those reviews.

1
Women in Prison II - Volume 2
2
Women in Prison II - Volume 2