Tag Archives: convict

Australia’s largest prison will be big business on the north coast of New South Wales | Instant News

February 23, 2021 NewsDesk

The new prison that has opened near Grafton, on the north coast of New South Wales, will become Australia’s largest prison, eventually housing up to 1,700 inmates.

The facility was built at a cost of approximately $ 700 million, and will be operated under a public-private partnership involving the State Government and a consortium involving John Laing, John Holland and Serco.

‘1,700 is anger’

The involvement of the private sector, and in particular Serco, has raised concerns.

The newly opened Clarence Correction Center features a campus-style layout in three sections: maximum male security; minimum male safety; and women’s center.(Provided: NSW Department of Justice)

Brett Collins, of the inmate advocacy group Justice Action, said the operation of such a large facility should not be left to private companies.

“Two hundred inmates is a much more efficient and effective way of managing an internal community – so 1,700 is an outrage,” he said.

“We’ve seen Serco in the past where they don’t have a feedback mechanism … we don’t have checks in parliament on Serco administrators.

Mr Collins says it costs about $ 100,000 a year to keep someone in prison in Australia, and research shows those who are sent to prison are more likely to commit repeat offenses.

‘Good balance between private and public’

The center is designed to accommodate 1,000 men and 300 women with maximum security, and 400 male convicts with minimum security.

It will attract prisoners from across the state, with the first 90 arriving on July 1.

Prisons have opened at a time of renewed focus on the Australian criminal justice system, in particular, Indigenous detention rates, which have nearly doubled in the last 30 years.

Clarence Correctional Center general manager Glen Scholes said the goal remained the same, regardless of whether he worked in the private or public systems.

A sign on the trail indicates where male and female prisoners should go to the new Clarence Correctional Center. — The new Clarence Correctional Center will eventually accommodate 1,700 inmates, most of them under maximum security.(North Coast ABC: Leah White.)

“My personal incentive, to get out of the state system, where I was in charge of 15 prisons and now I’ve come to run this one, is to actually apply this model.

“I have to report to the department every month about how we went … they asked me to report every activity.”

The state’s correctional minister, Anthony Roberts, said he was not worried about the personal model.

“Victoria and NSW are clearly taking the lead in ensuring that we have an excellent balance between private and publicly run prisons … perhaps the two states that have been most successful in reducing recidivism and ensuring the safety of our staff.”

NSW Corrective Services Minister Anthony Roberts addresses the media at the new Clarence Correction Center — NSW Corrective Services Minister Anthony Roberts at the opening of the new Clarence Correction Center.(North Coast ABC: Leah White)

Transportation problem

The complex is located in Lavadia in the Clarence Valley, about 12.5 kilometers from Grafton, which looks set to lose its only air service thereafter. strange quarrel between local councils and regional operators REX.

Gumbaynggirr’s woman, Julie Perkins, is part of the community consultation committee for the Clarence Correctional Center.

He said discussions were still ongoing about what transportation options could be established.

“Nothing is concrete as far as I know,” said Ms Perkins.

A portrait shot of Julie Perkins, chairman of the Gurehlgam Corporation, in front of a wall featuring original art. — Concerns about Indigenous families staying connected – Julie Perkins, chairman of Gurehlgam Corporation.(ABC Coffs Coast: Claudia Jambor)

Much work was lost at Grafton when a existing prisons have been dramatically reduced in 2012.

Local lawmaker Chris Gulaptis, who protested against his own government’s decision at the time, welcomed the new facilities.

He said the creation of 600 permanent jobs would provide a $ 560 million boost to the regional economy.

“Those economic benefits will only grow now through the provision of local goods and services, and the extra wages it brings to the region,” Gulaptis said.

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New Zealand

Waikeria uprising: Prisoners are still rioting at the Waikato prison | Instant News

December 30, 2020 NewsDesk

Outside the Waikeria Prison today where inmates clash with guards. Photo / Michael Craig

Prisoners who have been strained with guards at Waikeria Prison are now believed to have full control of the wing.

The Herald understands all obedient inmates have been removed from the wing where 16 inmates have lit fires and hurled projectiles at guards who couldn’t get close enough to end the hostage taking.

The prison remains in isolation today, nearly 24 hours after a group of inmates mutinied and started lighting a fire yesterday afternoon.

It is understood that most of the wings were badly damaged by fire.

This morning’s correction said that four of the 19 inmates had surrounded overnight, but the prison was badly damaged and could not possibly be used to house any more inmates.

Drama started yesterday in the prison practice yard around 2pm, and then moved to the rooftop, where the inmates burned the mattress.

A source told the Herald that the rebellion started after the inmates were denied a haircut, but Correction was unable to confirm this until they spoke to “affected prisoners”.

Further information is expected to be released about the situation at a press conference this afternoon.

Correction said 16 detainees remained within safe limits on the roof of one building, the so-called “upper prison unit”.

One source told the Herald that the prisoners had thrown projectiles at prison guards – wood, metal and anything else they could tear from the damaged roof.

As a result, the police were too dangerous to get too close to the prisoners. So far no one has been hurt.

The source said there was a slight risk of the detainees running away because there were two guardrails – electric and wire – and those fences were being patrolled by correctional staff.

The weather was hot and sunny, so the source said it was hoped the prisoners would become “hot and hungry” and turn themselves in.

Correction said there were no fatalities or injuries to staff or detainees. NZ Fire and Emergency, Police and St John remain in prison and work closely with Corrections staff.

A Corrections spokesman said the damaged part of the building was still burning hours after the fire started. It was not safe to try to extinguish the flames while the rioting continued, he said.

“At this stage the fire has not been put out. Obviously we need to wait for the disobedient prisoners to be brought under control before we can send fire and emergency to fully assess the situation and control it,” he said. .

“We are not sure how widespread the fire is at this stage, but several parts were burned, including the mattress that was burned,” he said.

A faint stream of smoke could still be seen floating from one end of the prison facility.

While the condition of the building needs to be assessed, it is unlikely that detainees will be accommodated there again, Correction said in a statement. The facility was built in 1911 and replaced by a new prison scheduled to open there in 2022.

View of the Waikeria Prison where the inmates are on the roof mattress that had been burning since last night. Photo / Provided

Correction described the prisoners behind the rebellion as “disobedient”.

Minister of Corrections Kelvin Davis declined to comment while the situation in prison remains unresolved.

Last night, 49 inmates were evacuated from the riot sector facility to another unit in the prison. Overnight 163 people were temporarily transferred to other locations within the prison, the spokesman said.

The flow of prisoner vans with tinted windows continued their exit from the facility this afternoon.

The Specialist Advanced Control and Control Team, made up of staff from various prisons, is in the prison, where the inmates have been out of control since Tuesday afternoon.

Photos emailed to NZME late at night showed huge smoke clouds visible from neighboring farmland.

Police, firefighters and St John confirmed that they were still at the scene as Correctional Officers continued to try to negotiate with the inmates and ensure the safety of everyone in the prison.

A spokesman said yesterday that 19 prisoners were seen on the roof of the building. This includes those who were involved in lighting fires in the courtyard today, along with several other people who were able to get out of their cells.

“Prisoners can access some parts of the building by penetrating the roof space, but their movement inside the building is restricted by internal gates, barriers and secure doors.

“There was a lot of smoke around the building, coming from the mattress the prisoners burned.”

“There are about 230 prisoners in total in the ‘top prison’ facility and we will not hesitate to evacuate further detainees if necessary to keep them safe.”

FENZ was initially summoned to Waikeria after inmates lit several fires in the prison’s practice yard on Tuesday afternoon.

About 20 prisoners were using the courtyard at the time.

The situation was thought to be under control before the nine detainees refused to comply with the instructions, Newshub reported.

The perpetrators allegedly removed the toilet door from their hinges and used it as a weapon against staff.

Correctional Association President Alan Whitley said the union is offering support.

“We are always concerned about people when situations like this occur, but we have a special team that has special training, they are professional people and they will do a professional job to control the situation,” Whitley told RNZ.

St John treated a number of staff and inmates for smoke inhalation. Earlier in the evening, it was thought that at least one inmate was bleeding after an argument with guards.

One detained inmate said riots in the prison were imminent, with inmates protesting for human rights. They claim there are problems in the prison, including toilet paper that is taking days, Newshub reports.

Last year, two Waikeria Prison Correction officers were punched in the face within days, while clashes between prisoners have also been reported.

An inmate punched an officer in the face and another officer was also injured when he stepped in to help.

The fight occurred after an officer was threatened and punched a few days earlier.

There have also been previous reports of inmates fighting amongst themselves.

The Waikeria Prison is one of New Zealand’s largest prisons, located on a 1,200ha site south of Te Awamutu in the Waikato region.

The “top prison” where inmates currently reside were built in 1911 and are the oldest part of the prison. It was replaced by a new facility under construction at the prison and which is slated to open in 2022.

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New Zealand

Prison drama: Police are still in Waikeria Prison where 19 inmates burn mattresses on the roof | Instant News

December 30, 2020 NewsDesk

View of the Waikeria Prison where the inmates are on the roof mattress that had been burning since last night. Photo / Provided

Emergency services remain at the Waikeria Prison this morning after arriving yesterday to negotiate with inmates out of control on the burning mattress on the roof.

The Specialist Advanced Control and Control Team, made up of staff from various prisons, has been in the prison where inmates rioted since Tuesday afternoon.

It is understood that the situation is ongoing this morning, but Correction has not provided an update. Photos emailed to NZME late at night showed huge smoke clouds visible from neighboring farmland.

Police, firefighters and St. John were at the scene yesterday as Correction officers continued to try to negotiate with the inmates and ensure the safety of everyone in the prison.

A spokesman said 19 detainees had been seen on the roof of the building. This includes those who were involved in lighting the fire on the previous page today, along with several other people who were able to get out of their cells with assistance.

“Prisoners can access some parts of the building by penetrating the roof space, but their movement inside the building is restricted by internal gates, barriers and secure doors.

“There was a large amount of smoke around the building coming from the mattresses burned by the prisoners.”

Although there is no threat to public safety, Corrections staff have transferred 49 inmates from one unit to another in the prison while the incident continues.

“There are about 230 prisoners in total in the ‘top prison’ facility and we will not hesitate to evacuate further detainees if necessary to keep them safe.”

FENZ was initially summoned to Waikeria after inmates lit several fires in the prison’s practice yard on Tuesday afternoon.

About 20 prisoners were using the courtyard at the time.

The situation was thought to be under control before the nine detainees refused to comply with the instructions, Newshub reported.

The perpetrators allegedly removed the toilet door from their hinges and used it as a weapon against staff.

Correctional Association President Alan Whitley said the union is offering support.

St John’s staff treated a number of staff and inmates for smoke inhalation. Earlier in the evening, it was thought that at least one inmate was bleeding after an argument with guards.

Last year, two Waikeria Prison Correction officers were punched in the face within days, while clashes between prisoners have also been reported.

An inmate punched an officer in the face and another officer was also injured when he stepped in to help.

The fight occurred after an officer was threatened and punched a few days earlier.

There have also been previous reports of inmates fighting amongst themselves.

The Waikeria Prison is one of New Zealand’s largest prisons, located on a 1,200ha site south of Te Awamutu in the Waikato region.

The ‘top prison’ where convicts currently reside were built in 1911 and are the oldest part of the prison. It was replaced by a new facility under construction at the prison and which is slated to open in 2022.

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New Zealand

Inmates were hospitalized after ingesting the hallucinogen datura grown in Christchurch Women’s Prison | Instant News

December 27, 2020 NewsDesk

Christchurch Women’s Prison has launched an operational review of the incident. Photo / RNZ

Three inmates at the Christchurch Women’s Prison were hospitalized after eating worms, licking spiders and consuming the hallucinogenic plant datura, which they found growing in the prison grounds.

Two of the women were so ill that they had to be hospitalized overnight, and the Department of Corrections is investigating how the hallucinogen, a tall shrub that also grows as a weed, grew in the prison.

All three have been accused of violations; but a mother of one of the women said they were “silly” and didn’t know what a plant was, and criticized Corrections for letting it grow there.

Prison director Deborah Alleyne said the three women had taken part in horticultural work at the prison on December 22.

They had been warned by the instructors earlier in the day after daring each other to “eat worms, lick spiders and taste plants,” Alleyne said.

After their lunch break, they were observed by staff to exhibit “related behaviors, including being imbalanced, confused and vomiting.”

The women were removed from work and seen by prison health staff.

The site was locked as a precaution and six staff accompanied them to the hospital.

One woman returned to the prison that evening where her health was monitored, but two were hospitalized overnight and discharged the following day.

There were no ongoing health issues for all of the prisoners involved, Alleyne said.

The women were interviewed and admitted to eating a variety of plants and insects, including plants of the datura species, a potent hallucinogen that can be deadly.

“The plant was removed from the tunnel house and immediately destroyed,” said Alleyne.

“Further checks have been completed across the grounds to ensure that no other similar plants are on site.”

Correction has launched an operational review to confirm how crops are grown in the field.

“The plant is a known weed and has been eradicated in the past few years from the prison grounds,” Alleyne said.

The women had been accused of offenses after the incident, but one of their mothers told the Herald they did not know they were taking hallucinogens.

She also questioned how Correction was able to let plants grow there, and criticized the department for not notifying her after her daughter was hospitalized.

“They didn’t know it was datura, thought it was just a flower, they didn’t even know what it was until afterward.

“They’re just playing games, challenging each other to do silly things.”

She only heard about the incident after her daughter recovered and called her, her mother said.

“He said he almost died, he vomited and his heart almost stopped. The prison has a health and safety responsibility, how could they let this happen? And then they didn’t even tell me that he was taken to the hospital. What are they going to do? have said if he died? “

Datura is one of New Zealand’s most dangerous plants.

It is sometimes eaten by people who want to experience hallucinations, which are caused by the strong alkaloid chemicals from plants.

But this drug has other side effects, including over-stimulating the heart and acting as a powerful muscle relaxant, which can be deadly.

In New Zealand, datura was responsible for entering intensive care, and indirectly caused at least two drowning deaths.

Alleyne said the women’s charges would be heard by an inquiry jury.

“If charges go ahead and they are found or pleaded guilty, they can be penalized with loss of privileges such as television or hobby material, forfeiture of income, or a period of cell confinement.

“Further action can be taken in response to the review’s findings.”

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