M.01.01 Internal movements of prisoners

Print

Internal prisoner movements are co-ordinated, documented, supervised and managed to ensure prisoner safety and compliance with custodial requirements and re-integrative services.

Internal movements of prisoners criteria

  1. The following groups (refer M.01.01.Res.01 Prisoner Group definitions) wherever practicable are not to be moved together:
    1. men and women prisoners
    2. remand and sentenced prisoners
    3. segregated and non-segregated prisoners.
  2. Under no circumstances are youth (under 18 years of age) prisoners to be moved with adult (18 years and over) prisoners together.

M.01.01.01 Managing prisoner movements

  1. Each prison must develop their own local procedure, as a desk file, (including a site's prisoner movement schedule), for moving prisoners based on the:
    1. design of the facility
    2. type of prisoners (youth / segregated etc.)
    3. security classification of the prisoners
    4. agreed staffing levels
    5. internal staff communication
    6. degree of supervision of prisoners during movement reflects the security and classification status of the prisoner.
  2. Each prison must have a designated internal prisoner movement co-ordinator, who has overall responsibility for ensuring:
    1. regular checks to ensure that completed prisoner movement are compliant with the site's prisoner movements schedule
    2. prisoners (un-escorted) who do not arrive at the scheduled location within five minutes of the required time the relevant officer is to be informed immediately.

M.01.01.02 Unlock regimes

  1. All prisons when managing prisoner movements must comply with the following unlock regimes:
    1. High medium units are to operate an unlock regime between 0800 – 1700 hours.
    2. All Remand units are to operate an unlock regime between 0800 – 1700 hours.
    3. All low medium and minimum units must operate an unlock regime that reflects the WDP and funding of the unit.
  2. Where it is appropriate to reduce the unlock hours for a limited period (e.g. during the Christmas period) for low and medium units the responsible senior advisor to regional commissioner must advise the National Muster Coordinator / National Prisoner Movement Coordinator (National Office) of any change to the prescribed unlock regime; the reason for the change; the anticipated length of the time for the change; and the senior advisor to regional commissioner must notify the National Muster Coordinator / National Prisoner Movement Coordinator when normal unlock is resumed.
  3. In situations where it is appropriate to reduce the unlock hours for an extended period (e.g. significant staff shortages) for low and medium units approval from both the respective regional commissioner and deputy regional commissioner is required.
  4. A prisoner may be denied, for a period of time that is reasonable in the circumstances, of the standard unlock hours if there is an emergency in the prison or the security of the prison is threatened or if the health or safety of any person is threatened.

Note:

Best practice is that when prisoners are out of their cells, the cells should be locked to stop incidents such as assaults, stand-overs, theft and tattooing. Locking cell doors during unlock enables staff to properly monitor and supervise activities which requires staff to be actively engaging with prisoners and maintaining a presence on the units / landings.

If a prisoner is in a recreation area that does not have a toilet staff should be able to unlock their cell, lock it again when the prisoner enters and then unlock it a few minutes later as they patrol the unit.

In rare instances where the prison director may have an area where they believe that cells may not need to be locked during unlock, the prison director must be able to demonstrate the actions implemented to properly and fully mitigate any associated risks.

M.01.01.03 Use of mechanical restraints for internal escorts

  1. The prison director or delegate may approve the use of handcuffs or waist restraints in conjunction with handcuffs on prisoners, for the purpose of internal escorts if it is considered necessary in the circumstance based on a belief on reasonable grounds that the prisoner may, during the escort:
    1. assault staff or other persons
    2. attempt to escape, or
    3. self harm
  2. When considering whether they have reasonable grounds, and that it is necessary in the circumstances staff should refer to M.01.01.Res.03 Use of mechanical restraints for internal escorts, to assist them.

M.01.01.04 Work party collection point

  1. All OE instructors / prison work party supervisors are responsible for collecting work party prisoners from the work party collection point, and:
    1. collecting communication equipment
    2. testing communication equipment prior to leaving work party collection point and retesting again on arrival at work place.
    3. confirming the number of prisoners under their supervision when requested.
    4. maintaining communication with central point / unit.
    5. assisting with the search of prisoners at the work party collection points.
  2. All OE / prison work parties working outside the secure perimeter, in addition to the procedures above must complete the following:
    1. Corrections Services staff must sign out (M.01.01.Form.01 Prisoner work party working outside the secure perimeter fence handover) work party prisoners to OE instructor / prison work party supervisor at the work party collection point.
    2. OE instructor / prison work party supervisor must collect the M.01.01.Form.01 Prisoner work party working outside the secure perimeter fence handover and instructions and
    3. identify throughout the day, work party prisoners by prisoner location check, after each PLC the OE instructor / prison work party supervisor is to advise central point hourly of the outcome of each of the PLCs. Central point must follow up with the OE instructor / prison work party supervisor if they fail to make hourly contact.
  3. When a OE / prison work party returns to a collection point, Corrections Services staff signs in the work party prisoners (this also applies if prisoners return to the unit for lunch).

M.01.01.05 Prisoner work party handover for party working outside the secure perimeter fence

  1. Corrections Services staff complete the areas of the M.01.01.Form.01 Prisoner work party working outside the secure perimeter fence handover that are not highlighted in bold italics.
  2. The OE instructor / prison work party supervisor completes entries in the parts of the form that are headed in bold italic, including areas concerning ‘hourly prisoner location checks’ and prisoners attending appointments and interviews.
  3. Should a prisoner location check be incorrect, immediately inform the central point.

M.01.01.06 Approval of non-compliant cells to be used for specified purpose

  1. The prison director may approve the use of cells that do not comply with the regulation requirements for the following specified purposes:
    1. directed segregation
    2. segregation for the purpose medical oversight
    3. prisoners at risk of self harm
    4. self care
    5. cell confinement
  2. If the prison director has approved the use of non-compliant cells for the above specified purposes, they must stipulate:
    1. the period the cells are to be used for the purpose
    2. any conditions relating to the use of the cells
  3. The prison director must advise the senior advisor to regional commissioner of the cells approved, the period they are to be used, and any conditions that apply to their use.