Mount Gambier Prison

Mount Gambier Prison is an Australian prison located in Moorak immediately south of Mount Gambier. It is managed and operated by G4S Custodial Services Pty Ltd.[2]

Not to be confused with Mount Gambier Gaol.

Mount Gambier Prison
LocationMoorak, South Australia
Security classPrincipally medium and low security male sentenced prisoners; can also accommodate short-term high security males and females.
Capacity493
Opened1995
Managed byG4S[1]

Prison life

The prison accommodates medium and low security male sentenced and remand prisoners. Short-term high security male and female prisoners can also be accommodated when required.[3] Accommodation includes: a traditional cell block arrangement, shared living cottages, semi-independent living cottages, an induction area that houses new prisoners, and a small allocation of high-security cells.

Mount Gambier Prison provides a full range of prisoner services, including all medical, education, facilities management, equipment and grounds preventative maintenance services ‘in house’, using locally employed staff and sub-contractors. Consistent with other prisons in South Australia, prisoners are placed on incentive-based regimes that provide varying levels of privileges based on behaviour.

Prisoners are engaged in a range of work programs including grounds and building maintenance, cleaning, laundry and kitchen work. The prison also has a large timber furniture manufacturing workshop that produces bedroom and living room furniture for dispatch directly to retail outlets in South Australia.

Education and program activities focus on numeracy and literacy skills and cognitive skills programs are aimed at high risk offenders.[4] In 1998, prisoners under the instructions of a local builder constructed an education centre within the prison. The work was also attached to a vocational course. This resulted in prisoners learning new skills and obtaining TAFE certificates to assist them upon their release.

A strong partnership exists between Lifeline South East and the prison. This relationship began in mid-1995 with Lifeline's involvement in suicide awareness training for new prison staff. In 2010, the prisoner listener program, which aims to reduce suicides at the prison, gained a national award.[5]

Improvements

In March 2009, an expansion of the prison was announced.[6] With a project budget of $22.9m, it will be the first South Australian prison to employ the cheaper and faster modular construction method using shipping containers. The cell block is constructed as a single storey facility designed around two wings of 54 beds (total of 108 beds) with a central officers station to supervise both wings. Each wing has a central external exercise yard. A new kitchen will also be built and the prison perimeter will be extended.[7]

  • During 2003-2004, work was conducted in the cells to eliminate hanging points and the fire safety systems in the cell block, the cottages and the operations building were upgraded.[8]
  • In 2005, a new $950,000 state-of-the art Control Room was officially commissioned.[9]
  • In 2007, to address pressure on the South Australian Custodial Correctional system, the prisons capacity increased from 110 to 139 beds.[10] In June 2012, the capacity of the prison was 172.[3]
  • The 2017 state budget included provision to spend A$38.8 million on adding 160 beds to Mount Gambier Prison.[11]
  • By the end of 2018, it could hold 490 inmates.[12]

Incidents

In April 2001, a single prisoner became the first to escape the facility by climbing two razor-wire-topped fences.[13] This is the only escape from within the confines of the prison as of June 2012.

In July 2004, the South Australian Coroner was critical of cell design, Group 4 and Department of Correctional Services staff following the death of a prisoner.[14]

In March 2009, Chief executive of the Department of Correctional Services Peter Severin said that since the Mount Gambier Prison was opened in [1995], it has been a stable facility with "very few" incidents.[6]

References
  1. "South Australia Prisoner Movement and In-Court Management". G4S. Archived from the original on 6 November 2014. Retrieved 6 November 2014.
  2. Department for Correctional Services. "Mount Gambier Prison". Government of South Australia.
  3. "The Department of Correctional Services, South Australian Government, Adelaide, South Australia - Mount Gambier Prison". Corrections.sa.gov.au. Archived from the original on 20 October 2013. Retrieved 14 October 2013.
  4. "Care & justice services - MGP | G4S". Au.g4s.com. Archived from the original on 2 January 2013. Retrieved 14 October 2013.
  5. "Prison suicide program gets national award - ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)". Abc.net.au. 13 September 2010. Retrieved 14 October 2013.
  6. Gerritsen, Tim (3 March 2009). "More prisoners for Mount Gambier as gaol is upsized - ABC South East SA - Australian Broadcasting Corporation". Abc.net.au. Retrieved 14 October 2013.
  7. "The Department of Correctional Services, South Australian Government, Adelaide, South Australia - MGP Expansion". Corrections.sa.gov.au. 3 May 2012. Archived from the original on 20 October 2013. Retrieved 14 October 2013.
  8. "DCS Annual Report 2004" (PDF). DEPARTMENT FOR CORRECTIONAL SERVICES. p. 20. Retrieved 6 November 2014.
  9. "Department for Correctional Services : February 2005 : State of the Art Security Upgrade for Mount Gambier" (PDF). Corrections.sa.gov.au. Retrieved 14 October 2013.
  10. "Mt Gambier jail at near capacity - ABC South East SA - Australian Broadcasting Corporation". Abc.net.au. 21 November 2007. Retrieved 14 October 2013.
  11. Dayman, Isabel (22 June 2017). "SA budget 2017: What you need to know". ABC News. Retrieved 22 June 2017.
  12. Evans, Simon (5 September 2018). "British giant G4S eyes South Australian prison outsourcing contract". Australian Financial Review. Retrieved 2 December 2020.
  13. "Simpl012: SA: Armed robber escapes from Mt Gambier jail". Simpl012.blogspot.com.au. 26 April 2001. Retrieved 14 October 2013.
  14. "FINDING OF INQUEST" (DOC). Courts.sa.gov.au. Retrieved 22 February 2015. An Inquest taken on behalf of our Sovereign Lady the Queen at Mount Gambier in the State of South Australia, on the 12th and 13th days of July 2004 and in Adelaide on the 6th day of August 2004, before Wayne Cromwell Chivell, a Coroner for the said State, concerning the death of Troy Phillip Turner


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