ACT Corrective Services (ACTCS) provides a wide range of services to detainees to assist in their rehabilitation and wellbeing, and to support their successful return to the community.
Women
ACTCS provides a range of programs and services for women detainees, including programs focused on criminogenic behaviours.
The women’s area of the Alexander Maconochie Centre (AMC) is also serviced by diverse community organisations delivering a range of health and wellbeing activities.
The AMC continues to work with a broad range of external agencies to provide services and linkages that assist women to build confidence and support in the community. Service arrangements are continuously reviewed to ensure that they are meeting the current needs of women detainees.
A Women Offenders Framework is due to be completed in 2020. This Framework will consider the different inputs to offending by women and will focus on theoretical principles, enablers and strategies that support reducing reoffending. This will inform the underlying basis of interventions, services and constructive activities, as well as steering gender-responsive approaches to service delivery.
Feeding and bonding facilities
Feeding and bonding facilities are available to women detainees to assist mothers to develop and retain a relationship with their child(ren) and reduce the likelihood of reoffending.
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander People
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander detainees have access to a range of cultural supports designed to foster the regeneration of cultural identity and practices to motivate positive change. Detainees receive regular visits from Elders and have access to Indigenous Liaison Officers to foster connections to family and country.
An Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Offenders Framework is due to be completed in 2021. This Framework will better support indigenous experiences in the correctional system and inform the delivery of future programs and services.
Recreation, Library, and Communication
Detainees have access to a multi-purpose recreation centre and oval, including gym facilities, basketball court and football ground. Access to the recreation centre and oval is on a rostered basis to ensure equal access for all detainees.
Library
Detainees have access to a library that provides a wide range of reading materials, including newspapers, fiction, educational, legal and printing resources.
Library resources include:
- approved magazines and journals;
- books to meet the needs of non-English speaking detainees;
- Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultural and historical material;
- access to unrestricted ACTCS policies and procedures;
- reference books and legal resources to assist in legal defence and litigation; and
- resources to assist the vision and hearing impaired.
Librarian support and services are also available, including study stations and computers.
Internet
Most detainees have access to a computer in their cell with restricted internet access.
Email
Detainees can use email to maintain (monitored) contact with a limited number of approved family and friends. Email can also be used to communicate (unmonitored) with legal representatives and oversight agencies. For more information, please see the Detainee Communication Policy.
Phone
Detainees can buy phone credit to use the pay telephone system, which is limited to outgoing calls. A maximum duration of 10 minutes applies to phone calls and calls are monitored (except when communicating with legal representatives or oversight agencies). Please see the Detainee Communication Policy.
Chaplaincy
Detainees can practice a recognised religion or belief of their choosing while in custody, and are provided with reasonable access to religious materials, areas for prayer or contemplation, and access to religious visitors where possible.
All detainees will be offered the opportunity to register their religion with ACTCS on admission to the AMC or can do so at any other time.
A chaplaincy service is provided to:
- meet the pastoral needs of detainees;
- deliver religious services and provide religious, ethical and spiritual guidance; and
- promote an understanding of diversity and the range of cultures and their related traditions.
The Coordinating Chaplain maintains a schedule of approved religious visitors who attend to administer services and prayers, and who provide religious guidance and instruction to detainees.
For more information, please see the Detainee Religion Policy.
