Authority for Policy
This service will be provided in accordance with the current legislation.
Services must also meet the requirements of all other relevant legislation, regulations, relevant Department of Corrections' policies, and such other instructions as may be issued by the Chief Executive from time to time.
Policy Standard
- Each prisoner is provided verbally and in writing, on reception or reasonably promptly after being received, with accurate and timely information on the operation and rules of the prison and the entitlements of prisoners.
- Prisoners are informed of their obligations, rights, privileges and their access to services in a way they can understand.
- Each prisoner who is a citizen of another country, is given, in writing, advice that they may inform a consular representative of their detention and may forward any correspondence to a representative without delay.
- The prisoner’s immediate needs are addressed or referred for prompt action.
- Immediate Needs Checklists and Induction Interviews are completed for all prisoners received on to a prison muster as newly sentenced, remanded or received on transfer from another prison in a different geographical area.
The exceptions being remand prisoners going to court and returning the same day, unless they return as sentenced prisoners, or sentenced prisoners who go to court on further charges but return the same day after having the charges deferred.
Performance Standards
- All prisoners are:
- Legally detained.
- Assessed to determine their immediate risk / needs.
- Orientated to the routines and procedures in place at the receiving prison.
- Effectively managed in accordance with legislation and relevant policies.
- The reception and induction of prisoners is managed in accordance with these standards and the guidelines contained in the PS Sentence Management Manual.
- Information is provided to prisoners through a structured induction interview, using appropriate and culturally sensitive communications skills to ensure that the prisoner understands the information given.
- The prisoner’s immediate needs are addressed or referred for prompt action.
- The prisoner is encouraged to take responsibility for their offending.
- The message to the prisoner regarding the chance to change is promoted and reinforced.
- Each prisoner is provided with accurate and timely information orally and in writing on the operation and rules of the prison and the entitlements of prisoners.
- The induction interview identifies immediate issues relating to each prisoner's physical, social, cultural and accommodation needs and the needs of differently-abled prisoners.
- Staff orally instruct prisoners about each procedure before the procedure commences, to ensure that the prisoner understands each procedure.
- Induction information is provided to each prisoner in a way that is useful and can be easily understood.
- Staff are trained and competent to carry out the induction programme.
- Each unit documents and displays its current rules and procedures in a way which is readily available to and understood by prisoners.
- A locally developed pamphlet to help prisoners understand the prison’s rules and practices is available.
