M.05.02 Review risk assessment

Print

The purpose of the review risk assessment is, after initial reception, to target specific times or circumstances that could cause a prisoner’s level of risk to change.

M.05.02.01 Review risk assessment criteria

  1. The prisoner’s at risk status must be reviewed when:
    1. a prisoner returns from Court
    2. after Court appearance via AVL
    3. further charges are laid
    4. the custodial status changes
      Consideration

      Custodial status changes refer to situations where a prisoner’s status changes:

      • from remand accused to remand convicted
      • from remand accused to sentenced
      • from remand convicted to sentenced
      • from sentenced to remand.
    5. upon reception following an inter-prison transfer
    6. increase in security classification
    7. use of directed segregation
    8. use of force
    9. a [section 107 of the Parole Act 2002] application is made
    10. parole has been deferred for two or more years
    11. change in family circumstance e.g. death of a family member, break up of a relationship, losing custody of a child, family group conference
    12. confirmation of serious or terminal illness
    13. a prisoner receives a significant legal decision such as:
      1. an unsuccessful appeal
      2. sentence indication.
    14. an event or incident has the likelihood of a negative impact upon the prisoner
    15. the prisoner begins to display negative signs or change in mood or behaviour
    16. knowledge of, or information received about the prisoner causes concern.
  2. The review risk assessment must:
    1. be completed within four (4) hours of staff being advised of any of the above events occurring
    2. be undertaken in an area that offers privacy from other prisoners and staff
    3. be undertaken by custodial staff who have received training in the administration of the review risk assessment.
  3. The prisoner must be treated as at-risk if they cannot engage in the review risk assessment process because:
    1. they are intoxicated
    2. they have a limited understanding of English
    3. they have a disability
    4. of any other reason that inhibits them participating in the assessment.
  4. If there is a delay between the event that warrants a review risk assessment, and the assessment, the prisoner shall be treated as at risk and placed under observation, not exceeding 15 minutes, until the review risk assessment can begin (and managed as per POM [M.05.03 Observing and managing at-risk prisoners]).

M.05.02.02 Preliminary review risk assessment process

  1. When a review risk assessment is initiated, the IOMS application will pre-populate the prisoner’s information (Section A). If IOMS is unavailable the information contained in the warrant should be used to complete the POM form [M.05.02.Form.01 Review risk assessment].
  2. The first question in section B must be completed for every prisoner undergoing a review risk assessment. The assessor is to record:
    1. “No” for prisoners who did not return from Court / Court AVL (and proceed to Section C)
    2. “Yes” for prisoners returning from Court or who have had a Court appearance via AVL.
  3. For all prisoners returning from Court or Court appearance via AVL, the assessor must complete the remaining section B questions:
    1. Did anything happen at court today that is causing you distress or concern?
    2. Are there circumstances that determine a review must be completed?
      Consideration

      To support staff, the circumstances that determine a review must be completed are detailed under [M.05.02.01 Review risk assessment criteria paragraph 1. c. to 1. p].

  4. If the answer to either question 3. a. or 3. b. above is “Yes”, a full review risk assessment must be completed (proceed to section C).
  5. If the answer to both question 3. a. and 3. b. above are “No”, the prisoner is assessed as not at risk at this time and the assessment process is completed.

M.05.02.03 Substantive review risk assessment process

  1. Sections C to J of the assessment may be completed by staff other than the staff who completed the preliminary assessment (section A and B).
    1. Section C records all available secondary information that may provide information to assist in assessing the prisoner risk. Staff must review this information and provide a summary of any risk indicators.
    2. Section D lists previous risk assessments.
    3. Section E records the reason for assessment.
    4. Section F accurately records the answers given by the prisoner during the interview.
    5. Section G records the description of the behaviours the prisoner exhibited.
    6. Section H records the decision on the prisoner’s risk status, and a summary of the information relied on to support their decision. This should include a review of the prisoner’s responses recorded in sections F and G, which are to be cross referenced with the most recent reception risk assessment, review risk assessment and, if applicable, [M.05 Prisoners at risk of self harm] and any relevant information obtained from secondary sources from section C.
    7. If a “yes” answer is given by the prisoner to the Section F question “Are you thinking about harming yourself?”, then consideration must be given to the prisoner's current risk status, until further assessment is completed (a SELF HARM alert will be activated in IOMS).
  2. If a prisoner is assessed as at risk at any stage during the review risk assessment process, the prisoner is to be placed under observations, not exceeding 15 minutes (and managed as per POM [M.05.03 Observing and managing at-risk prisoners]).

M.05.02.04 Reviews conducted by reception / receiving staff

  1. The assessor must consult with health staff and record in [section I of the review risk assessment]:
    1. the summary of discussion and record of health staff evaluation
    2. the assessment decision by health staff (following their interview with the prisoner)
    3. the name of the health staff with whom the discussion took place
    4. the time of the discussion.
  2. If the prisoner is assessed as being at-risk of self-harm, health staff must:
    1. determine whether the pixelation feature is turned off, and
    2. recommend the level of association.
      Watch Point

      If the health centre manager recommends an association restriction pursuant to[section 61CA of the Corrections Act 2004], this must be completed on the segregation screen in IOMS. If IOMS is unavailable, use [M.05.03.Form.02 At-risk management and care plan] for the application of segregation to the general manager custodial.

  3. The assessor must record one of the following three results, and any comments in section J of the review risk assessment:
    1. AT RISK
      Health and custody staff agree that the prisoner is at risk. The prisoner is to be:
      1. placed on observations not exceeding 15 minutes (and managed as per POM [M.05.03 Observing and managing at-risk prisoners])
      2. moved to the Intervention and Support Unit (ISU).
        Consideration

        If an at-risk prisoner is also subject to a segregation direction for the purpose of medical oversight, they will also need to be managed as per the requirements of segregation under [section 60 (1) of the Corrections Act 2004].

    2. NO APPARENT RISK AT THIS TIME
      Health staff and the assessor agree that there are no apparent risks identified at this time. The prisoner can return to their normal routine.
    3. NO AGREEMENT
      Where there is no agreement about the at-risk status, or the level of association restriction the general manager custodial, or deputy general manager / deputy general manager pathways, becomes the sole decision maker after considering the health advice and all relevant safety and security concerns.

M.05.02.05 Reviews conducted by residential / custodial staff

  1. The unit staff must consult with a more senior officer and/or health staff* and record in section I of the review risk assessment the:
    1. the summary of discussion and record of senior custodial staff / health staff
    2. the assessment decision by senior custodial staff / health staff
    3. the name of the senior custodial staff / health staff with whom the discussion took place
    4. the time of the discussion.
      *Consultation with health must occur if there are any concerns regarding the prisoner's medical history, in order to assist custodial staff in reaching a decision.
  2. The unit staff must record one of the following three results, and any comments in section J of the review risk assessment.
    1. AT RISK
      The assessor and senior staff agree that the prisoner is at risk. The prisoner is to be:
      1. placed on observations not exceeding 15 minutes (and managed as per POM [M.05.03 Observing and managing at-risk prisoners])
      2. moved to the Intervention and Support Unit (ISU).
        Consideration

        If an at-risk prisoner is also subject to a segregation direction for the purpose of medical oversight, they will also need to be managed as per the requirements of segregation under [section 60 (1) of the Corrections Act 2004].

    2. NO APPARENT RISK AT THIS TIME
      The assessor and senior staff agree that there are no apparent risks identified at this time. The prisoner can return to their normal routine.
    3. NO AGREEMENT
    4. Where there is no agreement about the at-risk status or the level of association restriction the general manager custodial, or deputy general manager / deputy general manager pathways, becomes the sole decision maker after considering the health advice and all relevant safety and security concerns.