F.12 Hobby activities

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Hobby activities criteria

  1. A prisoner may seek approval from the prison director, or delegate, to undertake a hobby activity if:
    1. the prisoner is not:
      1. under disciplinary penalties
      2. in the Intervention and Support Unit (ISU)
      3. in segregation, and
    2. the prisoner has completed a preceding hobby item, and
      1. the hobby item has been gifted, donated and removed from site, unless
      2. the prison director has granted approval for the item to be stored
      3. If approval is granted for the hobby items to be stored it must fit inside the standard plastic container (500 mm length x 400 mm width x 300 mm depth).

F.12.01 Request to undertake hobby activity

  1. The prisoner must make a written request to undertake a hobby activity using the prisoner complaint process and have completed the F.12.Form.01 Hobby activity request.
  2. The officer entering the PC.01.Form.01 Prisoner complaint into IOMS must update the prisoner’s File Notes to show that a request has been received from a prisoner requesting to undertake a hobby activity.
  3. The prison director and or delegate must consider a hobby activity request on its own merits prior to the prisoner complaint meeting, and also consider the following when determining the request:
    1. whether the hobby activity can be facilitated in the prison / unit;
    2. the safety of any person; and,
    3. the security of the prison.

F.12.02 Prison director to approve or decline request

  1. The prison director, or delegate, must make a decision to approve or decline the F.02.Form.01 Hobby activity request and provide a copy of that decision to the prisoner.
    1. If the request is approved prison staff must explain any special conditions to the prisoner that are endorsed on the completed form.
      Note: If the prisoner is approved to undertake bone carving as a hobby activity the prisoner must agree that if the item is a Manaia it is to be sent out of the prison once it has been completed.
    2. If the request is declined prison staff must explain to the prisoner their reasons that are endorsed on the completed form for declining the prisoner's request.
  2. The Prisoner Files Notes is updated with the decision and the completed form is placed on the prisoner’s file (Category E).

F.12.03 Managing hobby activities and tools

  1. Hobby activities and tools are restricted to approved unit's hobby room(s).
  2. Hobby Tools are securely stored when not in use.
  3. No hobby item(s) are to be taken from the hobby room to a prisoner's cell unless approved by the prison director or delegate in accordance with cell standards and health and safety considerations.
  4. Each prison and/or unit must maintain a F.12 Form.02 Unit hobby issues and returns register to manage, control and account for prisoner's hobby tools.

F.12.04 Review hobby activities

  1. Prison staff must regularly review the prisoners progress in developing their hobby item, to ensure that the prisoner is not developing an item that can be deem objectionable.
  2. Material is objectionable if it describes, depicts, expresses, or otherwise deals with matters such as sex, horror, crime, cruelty or violence, and the completed hobby item is likely to be injurious to the public good or the security of the prison. Objectionable items include:
    1. gang insignia, and gang related material
    2. content that is degrading, dehumanising, or demeaning or depicts harm.
  3. Staff must consider whether the hobby item may interfere with the effective management, security and good order of the prison.

F.12.05 Hobby items stored, retained or gifted

  1. Prisoners must obtain approval for the hobby item to be:
    1. retained
    2. stored
    3. gifted / donated * (F12.Form.04 Authority to gift / donate or exhibit artwork / hobby item).
  2. If the prisoner has not requested to retain, or obtain approval to store or gift / donate the hobby item (or the item is a completed Manaia) prison staff will direct the prisoner to arrange to have any excess hobby items removed from the prison (refer POM P.10 Property disposal).
  3. Prisoners will seek approval from the residential manager or delegate to store, gift / donate or dispose of a hobby item.

*Note: Prisoners must obtain approval to gift / donate hobby items to a Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO), including charitable organisations for displaying / exhibiting. The prison director must assess the benefits and potential consequences of a prisoner displaying / exhibiting their artwork / hobby item.

Staff members CAN NOT buy artwork / hobby items and/or receive gifts / gratuities from prisoners, they may however purchase any item directly from the Non-Government organisation or charity holding the exhibit / sale.