Inaugural Healthy Prison Review of the Alexander Maconochie Centre released

The first Healthy Prison Review of the Alexander Maconochie Centre (AMC) was tabled in the ACT Legislative Assembly today.

Overall, it found that the AMC has the ingredients to be a Healthy Prison but more needs to be done to address key issues across all four ‘pillars’ of the healthy prison framework. These pillars are safety; respect and dignity; purposeful activity; and rehabilitation and preparation for release.

The review makes 73 recommendations for improvement across these four pillars. OICS will monitor the implementation of these recommendations.

Underlying many of the key areas for improvement identified in the review are the high detainee numbers, the large number of cohorts that do not mix, and the need to escort detainees to different areas of the AMC.

An ongoing issue of concern is the accommodation of women in a high security men’s unit. This issue was identified in OICS’ thematic review published in February 2019. The Healthy Prison Review found that the situation had not been remedied since the thematic review and the women still lack equal access to facilities, programs and services compared to the men.

OICS would like to thank  detainees, staff and the many community organisations that provided valuable input to this review. The review commends the commitment of ACT Corrective Services staff and acknowledges the improvements OICS has seen at the AMC over the last 18 months.

The full report can be accessed here, and the media release here.

The next Healthy Prison Review will be conducted in 2021.