W.02.Res.01 Dry Cell placement summary
If a prisoner is placed in such a cell for more than 3 hours or overnight then they are being “accommodated” in the cell [1], and this can’t be done without a segregation direction which acts as a record of the prison director's decision to accommodate the prisoner in a cell that does not have the required features under the Regulations.
For prisoners who are not suspected of internal concealment, there must be rationale for the decision to put the prisoner in a dry cell, and not an at risk or management unit cell (i.e. why was it necessary to deprive them of a toilet, running water, privacy screen?).
| Purpose | Conditions | Record Keeping | Observations |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| a) | Pending an assessment or formulation of a management plan when no other cell or place is suitable for conducting that assessment. | For a period not exceeding 3 hours while the prisoner is under assessment or a plan is being developed for their management. | Notation of placement in the dry cell included in the incident report. | Continual Observations (unless otherwise prescribed). |
| b) | Suspected of Internal Concealment | While segregated under section 60(1)(a)of the Corrections Act (Medical Oversight) | Internal Concealment Care Plan, segregation register, IOMS cell allocation, and IOMS alert. | Observations as per the W.01.01.Form.03 Internal Concealment Care Plan, and as recommended by the HCM (or Clinical Manager). |
| c) | Voluntary Refusal of Food [2] | |||
| d) | At risk of self-harm, when there are no other suitable at risk cells available. | While segregated under section 60(1)(b) of the Corrections Act (At Risk of Self Harm) | Management plan, segregation register, IOMS cell allocation, and IOMS alert. | Observations as per the management plan, and as recommended by the HCM (or Clinical Manager), approved by PD. |
| e) | Other complex behavioural needs where special arrangements need to be made to manage behaviour pending suitable placement (ie. wilful damage / flooding to previous cell). | While segregated under section 58 (a) of the Corrections Act (security and good order). This must be a temporary measure until other arrangements can be made (ie. Movement to management unit or transfer). | Management plan (including how you will ensure minimum entitlements will be provided), segregation register, IOMS cell allocation, and IOMS alert. | Observations as per the management plan, and as directed by the prison director. |
[1] Receiving office holding cells, and other holding cells are not accommodation cells, and therefore the three hour timeframe does not apply.
[2] Whether the prisoner who is voluntarily refusing food should be segregated for medical oversight or self-harm depends on the prisoners’ rationale, intent, and general health status. The prisoner may be making a political statement or refusing to eat to attempt to force a certain operational decision (e.g. unit move). Unless the prisoner has explicitly said that they are refusing food as a method of self-harm “I’m not going to eat because I want to die”, it would be medical oversight (60(1)(a)). If the prisoner is on a hunger strike, and has any restriction on their movement / association, then they are in effect being segregated – and a direction for that must be made / approved.