Australian Capital Territory
Corrections Management (Email / Internet for Prisoners) Policy 2009
Notifiable instrument NI2009-126
made under the  
Corrections Management Act 2007, section 14(1) (Corrections policies and operating procedures) 

1	Name of instrument
This instrument is the Corrections Management (Email / Internet for Prisoners ) Policy 2009.
2	Commencement
This instrument commences on the day after it is notified.
3	Policy
I make the

Email / Internet FOR PRISONERS policy

attached to this instrument, to facilitate the effective and efficient management of correctional services.

James Ryan
Executive Director 
ACT Corrective Services
      25 March 2009

Alexander Maconochie Centre (AMC)

Email / Internet for Prisoners 
Policy

Purpose										1
Authority										1
Policy											1
Principles 										1
Email											1
Internet										2
Administration									2
Forms/Templates									2
Related policies and procedures 							2

Purpose
To outline the policy for prisoner access to e-mail / Internet.

Authority
Legislation
Corrections Management Act 2007, sections 14 & 52(1)(a).

Policy
Principles 
Access to Internet and email is deemed a privilege. Access will available to prisoners unless there is reasonable suspicion that he/she will use the medium inappropriately. 
Access to Internet and email services may be removed for inappropriate behaviour or misuse.  
Access to the Internet for prisoners must be carefully considered. Prisoners might use this medium to view offensive material, intimidate witnesses, contact victims or engage in unlawful activity.  
Email is not to be used to contact the media or any media representatives.
All prisoners accessing the Internet or email will be required to enter a user name and password in order for use to be monitored by the Intelligence Officer.  
The use of user names and passwords will be carefully monitored by staff to ensure that the correct login details are being used.  It will be an offence to use the user name and password of another prisoner, which will bring an immediate revocation of Email and internet privileges for all prisoners involved.
Prisoners will be granted reasonable access to printers on a user pays basis.  

Email
Prisoners will have reasonable access to email from designated computers.    
Prisoner’s usage of email is a privilege which may be denied if it is suspected on reasonable grounds that use of email may:
•	undermine security or good order in the AMC;
•	revictimise a victim;
•	engage in unlawful activities; 
•	have the purpose of causing community distress; or
•	used to contact the media.
Prisoners are required to seek approval before sending an email.
Prisoners are required to seek approval of an email address before they intend to send the email.
All emails will have a standard caution prefixed to the written email alerting the recipient that they have received an email from a prisoner at the AMC.
All emails will be archived and will not be able to be deleted, with the exception of those deemed “privileged”.  
Emails will be screened by a scanning program that will be used to filter out commonly used expletives or inappropriate phrases and to scan for potential threats to the security or good order of the AMC.
All incoming and outgoing emails may be vetted by AMC staff. 
Internet
Prisoners will have limited supervised access to specific web sites on the internet.  
Prisoner’s use of the internet will be under one of the following criteria:
•	Integration needs  — a prisoners use of the internet can assist in their reintegration into the community;
•	Education needs — a prisoners use of the internet assists them in an education course that the prisoner is currently enrolled in; or
Steps will be taken to restrict access to certain sites through the use of “white listing” approved sites.
Prisoners will not be permitted to download or install programs or software onto computers.  

Administration
Notices shall be displayed prominently near to all computers that are used by prisoners advising prisoners that their usage will be monitored.  
Section 154 of the Corrections Management Act 2007 defines email and internet as a privilege. If a prisoner is found guilty of inappropriate use of email or Internet, the privilege may be removed or restricted.   

Forms/Templates
Nil 

Related policies and procedures
Nil