Page 1289 - Week 04 - Tuesday, 5 April 2011
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enormity of this challenge should not be under-estimated given the inherently highly complex, problematic and at times dangerous nature of correctional centres.
The report finds that the AMC has fared favourably when compared to the commissioning of other new prisons. Newly commissioned prisons often face serious incidents, including riots, unnatural deaths in custody, infrastructure failures and other matters such as detainee-lit fires. No such events transpired in the post-commissioning phase of the AMC. Nevertheless, the AMC is a very difficult and complex operation and, as we all know, it is a new and challenging experience for the ACT. Nevertheless, Mr Hamburger has concluded that in many areas the development of the AMC accords with best practice. This is an endorsement of the effective work of ACT Corrective Services and its staff.
I am pleased to say that the report acknowledges that the AMC has a strong basis for a culture that protects the human rights of detainees and delivers best practice rehabilitation programs. The report states that there is a shared commitment between ACT Corrective Services leadership, including staff representatives, through their union, independent scrutiny agencies and community agencies to the aims of the AMC, and that this is a unique achievement in a corrections organisation in Australia.
The legislation, policies, procedures and plans for the AMC support and facilitate the delivery of best practice corrections outcomes aimed at achieving supported reintegration of detainees into the community. The report also concludes that detainees are better for their correctional centre experience and that overall the system provides them with the tools and training they need to assist them to maintain a law-abiding lifestyle on release.
The report concludes that there is a strong commitment to achieve a culture that delivers initiatives to create best practice in corrections and commends the AMC’s induction processes, the case management approach, the suite of programs for detainees, the therapeutic cottage and the transitional release centre models as well as accommodation, equipment and staff training.
As is to be expected, the report also identifies a number of areas requiring attention. These include governance, recording and reporting systems, the staff roster, options to deal with accommodating different classifications of detainees as their numbers fluctuate, enhancing detainee access to counselling, the complexity of the detainee disciplinary process and issues related to detainees’ food choices, such as increasing the range of foods available.
This report will be a key resource for the government in further strengthening the performance of our corrections centre. I am determined to maximise the benefits we gain from this report. For this reason, I am announcing today that I am establishing a task force to advise the government on its response to this forensic analysis and to oversee implementation of agreed action.
The task force will comprise both public service and community members. It will be chaired by Ms Bernadette Mitcherson, the new Executive Director of ACT Corrective Services. It will include as its members the Superintendent of the Alexander
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