Australian Capital Territory
Corrections Management (Hierarchy of Privileges) Policy 2009
Notifiable instrument NI2009-136
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 (Hierarchy of Privileges) Policy 2009.
2	Commencement
This instrument commences on the day after it is notified.
3	Policy
I make the

hierarchy OF privileges 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)

Hierarchy of Privileges Policy

Purpose
Authority
Policy
Principles
Process 										2
Regime Levels 									2
Cell block accommodation (maximum/medium security) 			2
Cottages (minimum security) 							3
Women’s High Needs Cottage 							3
Transitional Release Centre 							3
Cell block privileges 								3
Cottage privileges 									4
Transitional Release Centre privileges 						4
Women’s High Needs Cottage 							4
Management Unit 									5
Crisis Support Unit (CSU) 							5
Full Accommodation Areas 							5
Forms/Templates 									5
Related policies and procedures 							5

Purpose
To outline the Hierarchy of Privileges Policy.

Authority
Legislation
Corrections Management Act 2007, section 14.

Policy
Principles
All prisoners will be placed on ‘incentive based’ regimes whilst in the Alexander Maconochie Centre (AMC).

Each regime level will have requirements that the prisoner must maintain to remain in that level of accommodation. Progression and regression to different levels will be determined through the Sentence Planning Group (SPG).

Incentive based regimes support prisoners in striving toward positive change and are an essential aid to staff in managing prisoners.

Where possible and reasonable, prisoners should be involved in the decisions that affect their lives whilst in prison.  They should be allowed to exercise choice, and they should be held responsible for the consequences of their choices. 

All regimes will provide at minimum the statutory requirements as set out in the Corrections Management Act 2007.
Access to amenities and privileges will recognise those prisoners who demonstrate compliance and commitment to the policies, procedures and routines of the prison and seek to make constructive use of their time in custody.

A system of recognition and incentives will only work effectively if it is administered fairly, openly and in a timely manner, and if the positive results of compliance and good behaviour are visible to those it seeks to assist.  

Prisoners will be regularly assessed and placed onto a regime that best suits their individual needs and the supervision levels appropriate to their effective management.

If required, an individual prisoner’s regime may be adjusted at any time to ensure the health and safety of staff and prisoners, e.g. prisoners who require protection, female prisoners etc.
	
Each prisoner will be offered the opportunity to engage in the Case Management process in which their placement and consequent access to privileges will be established.  Prisoners will be advised of: 
•	the privileges and amenities available to them; and
•	the necessary behaviour, attitude, involvement and commitment required of them.

Process
Regime Levels
There are 4 levels of the regime that prisoners may be on at any given time.  For male prisoners regimes will be based on classification and accommodation.  For female prisoners regimes will be based on accommodation only.  There will be 4 main regime levels: 
•	Cell block accommodation (maximum/medium security);
•		Cottages (minimum security);
•		Transitional Release Centre (TRC); and
•		Women’s High Needs Cottage.

Each level will have a different regime of privileges for the prisoner and a different set of obligations.  

Cell block accommodation (maximum/medium security)
Prisoners in cells will be expected to:

•	Obey prison rules, the rules of their Unit and meet the required standards of behaviour as explained during the Induction process;
•	Be respectful to all employees, medical and support staff and visitors;
•	Be respectful to other prisoners;
•	Respect AMC and government owned property;
•	Refrain from using drugs or alcohol;
•	Not be involved in the introduction or supply of drugs or alcohol or in the conspiracy to introduce or supply drugs or alcohol;
•	Work as directed (if sentenced);
•	Undertake specialised programs or educational activity as set out in their rehabilitation plan;
•	Provide urine samples as required under AMC regulations; and
•	Conform to the published timetable and requirements of the daily prison routine.

In order to be considered for movement to a cottage, prisoners placed in cells will have demonstrated their ability to comply with the cottage requirements.

Cottages (minimum security)
To be accommodated in a cottage a prisoner will conform to the conditions stated for cell block accommodation and in addition:
•		Undertake program and educational activity as required by their Rehabilitation Plan or was deemed necessary by the Sentence Planning Group;
•		Have no more than 2 disciplinary breaches within the last 60 days;
•		Will demonstrate conformance with cell accommodation requirements; and
•		Prisoners must participate in a Living Skills program if required.

Women’s High Needs Cottage
Female prisoners placed in the High Needs Cottage will:
•		Obey prison rules, the rules of their Unit, and meet the required standards of behaviour as explained during the Induction process;
•		Be respectful to all employees, medical and support staff and visitors;
•		Be respectful to other prisoners;
•		Respect AMC and government owned property;
•		Refrain from using drugs or alcohol;
•		Not be involved in the introduction or supply of drugs or alcohol or in the conspiracy to introduce or supply drugs or alcohol;
•		Provide urine samples as required under AMC regulations;
•		Conform to the published timetable and requirements of the daily prison routine; and
•		Work as directed (if sentenced).

Transitional Release Centre
The Transitional Release Centre (TRC) will be used to accommodate those prisoners who have complied with the cottage regime level on a continued basis.  These prisoners will also, as a rule, be near the end of their sentence, be classified as minimum security and be given more liberty in the community. They will be expected to conform to cottage accommodation requirements. 

Privileges
Cell block privileges
The cell block regime affords the following privileges:
•	Unlimited phone calls on the prisoners’ phone system (subject to operational requirements);
•	Up to 3 visits for a maximum total of 3 hours per week (subject to operational requirements);
•	Being unlocked from cell between the hours of 7:15am to 7:00pm midweek and 8:30am to 7:00pm weekends (subject to operational requirements);
•	Access to activities and recreation will be as per Rehabilitation Plan; and
•	Access to buy-ups to the maximum amount of $100 per week (subject to available trust account funds).

Cottage privileges
The Cottages regime affords the following privileges:
•		Unlimited phone calls on the prisoners’ phone system (subject to operational requirements);
•		Up to 4 visits for a maximum total of 4 hours per week (subject to operational requirements);
•		Being unlocked from cottage between the hours of 7:15 to 8:30 midweek and 8:30 to 7:45 weekends (subject to operational requirements);
•		Access to activities and recreation will be as per Rehabilitation Plan and may be with Authorised Visitors (community agencies) who come into the prison; and
•		Access to buy-ups to the amount of $120 per week (subject to available trust account funds).

Transitional Release Centre privileges
The TRC regime affords the following privileges:
•		Unlimited phone calls on the prisoners’ phone system (subject to operational requirements);
•		Access to leave on weekends;
•		Visits as per TRC routine;
•		Being unlocked from cottage between the hours of 7:15 to 8:30 midweek and 8:30 to 7:45 weekends (subject to operational requirements); 
•		Access to activities and recreation will be as per Rehabilitation Plan and may be with community agencies and outside the prison;
•		Employment and education in the community or on prison tasks outside of the secure perimeter;
•		Being entitled to wear their own clothing; and
•		Access to buy-ups to the amount of $120 (subject to available trust account funds).

Women’s High Needs Cottage
The Women’s High Needs Cottage regime affords the following privileges: 
•	Unlimited phone calls on the prisoners’ phone system (subject to operational requirements);
•	Up to 3 visits for a maximum total of 3 hours per week (subject to operational requirements); 
•	Being unlocked from cottage between the hours of 7:15am to 7:00pm midweek and 8:30am to 7:00pm weekends (subject to operational requirements);
•	Access to activities and recreation will be as per Rehabilitation Plan;
•	Access to buy-ups to the maximum amount of $100 per week (subject to available trust account funds)

Management Unit
Prisoners accommodated in the Management Unit as a result of disciplinary action will be subject to conditions imposed by disciplinary proceedings.  Otherwise, prisoners will, as far as is practicable, have the same privileges regime level as per their accommodation status prior to being accommodated in the Management Unit.  

Prisoners accommodated in the Management Unit for reasons other than discipline, will, as far as is practicable, have the same privileges regime level as per their accommodation status prior to being accommodated in the Management Unit.  

Prisoners accommodated in the Management Unit on segregation will, as far as is practicable, have the same privileges regime level as per their accommodation status prior to being accommodated in the Management Unit.  

If a prisoner is accommodated in the Management Unit immediately upon admission, he/she will be subject to the cell block accommodation privileges regime.

Crisis Support Unit (CSU)
Prisoners accommodated in the CSU will, as far as is practicable, have the same privileges regime as per their accommodation status prior to being accommodated in the CSU, but will depend also upon restrictions recommended by the CSU Manager.  
If a prisoner is accommodated in the CSU immediately upon admission, he/she will be subject to the cell block accommodation privileges regime.   

Full Accommodation Areas
On occasion, because of high numbers, some prisoners approved for cottage living may need to be accommodated in the cell block.  In these cases the prisoner will have access to all of the extended facilities that are practicable within their accommodation area.  

Forms/Templates
Nil.

Related policies and procedures
Nil.