Australian Capital Territory
Corrections Management (Reception and Management of Female Prisoners) Policy 2010
Notifiable instrument NI2010-448
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 (Reception and Management of Female Prisoners) Policy 2010.
2	Commencement
This instrument commences on the day after it is notified.
3	Policy
I make the

Reception and management of female prisoners policy

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

4	Revocation
	This instrument revokes notifiable instrument NI2009-157

James Ryan
Executive Director 
ACT Corrective Services
20 July 2010

Custodial Operations
Alexander Maconochie Centre (AMC)

Reception and Management of 
Female Prisoners Policy

Purpose
Authority
Policy
Admission and discharge
Accommodation
Recreation, programs, and education
Employment
Medical
Gynaecological and obstetric services
Miscarriage
Breastfeeding
Visit Arrangements
Supervision of female prisoners
Searching of female prisoners
Access to outside agencies
Forms/templates
Related Policies/Procedures

Purpose
To outline the policy for reception and management of female prisoners.

Authority
Legislation
Corrections Management Act 2007, sections 14 and 98 and part 9.4

Policy
All female prisoners will have access to the same level of programs, education, recreation, medical, and mental health services as male prisoners.  

If, during the initial interview, a female prisoner indicates that she is the primary care giver of any children, the prisoner’s Case Manager must interview the prisoner within 24 hours of induction or, in the case of a weekend reception, on the next working day. 

If a prisoner indicates that she is pregnant this information will be reported to Corrections Health. The CO2 admissions will refer any pregnant prisoner to the Case Manager.

Admission and discharge
The admission and discharge procedure for a female prisoner is the same as the admission and discharge procedure for male prisoners. 
Information will be provided to female prisoners relating to the women’s area specific programs available to female prisoners, and any other information deemed appropriate by the area CO2.

Where possible, the needs of female prisoners will be met within the women’s area.

Accommodation
Female prisoners will be accommodated within the women’s area in the general cottages or the high needs cottage. Female prisoners may, on occasion, require placement in the Crisis Support Unit or the Management Unit.  

A decision to place a female prisoner in the high needs cottage will be decided by consultation between the CO3, area CO2, the clinical psychologist and others involved in the prisoners management. The sentence planning group may also place a prisoner in the high needs cottage. 

Provisions may be made for the accommodation of infants and toddlers with their mothers. This procedure is set out in the Women and Children Program Policy and Procedure. 

Recreation, programs, and education
Where practicable, all recreation, programs, and education will take place within the women’s area and community centre. Should specific equipment be required (where that equipment cannot be transported to the community centre) female prisoners may access the program and associated equipment on a timetabled basis.

Female and male prisoners will not generally access recreation, programs and education at the same time.

Employment
Employment opportunities will be provided within the women’s area and will be allocated to female prisoners. 

Medical 
Female prisoners will be able to access medical services in accordance with the Access to Health Care Policy. Routine medical attention will be provided in the community centre’s medical rooms. 

Female prisoners may request to be treated by a female doctor or nurse. In cases requiring emergency or other medical treatment, the security and good order of the AMC as well the safety of the prisoner and others, will take priority over this preference. 

Gynaecological and obstetric services
Gynaecological and obstetric services will be made available following a referral from the Medical Officer.

Pregnancy and Childbirth
Female prisoners will be taken under escort to a hospital in order to give birth to a child.

Where it is not possible (for any reason) for a pregnant woman to be taken to hospital to give birth, ACTCS will take steps to ensure that the AMC is not listed as the place of birth.

Arrangements will be made for the prisoner to contact her family or the baby’s father following the onset of labour, and again following the birth of the child.  Where the prisoner is not able to contact their relevant support person, the area CO2 will make the contact on her behalf.

Following a security assessment, consideration will be given to allowing a support person to be with the prisoner during the birth.

Cultural considerations
Where a pregnant woman is held in custody, full consideration will be given to any cultural issues surrounding childbirth.

Miscarriage
In the event of a miscarriage, Corrections Health and ACTCS are responsible for ensuring adequate emotional, cultural, and/or religious support is given to the prisoner. 

The Case Manager will review the prisoner at least fortnightly in the last 2 months of the pregnancy to evaluate any additional needs of the mother. These reviews will continue after the birth of the child until no longer required.

Breastfeeding
Corrections Health will be advised if a prisoner is received who is a breastfeeding mother.

Provision will be made for prisoners who are breastfeeding to feed the child at the AMC and/or to express milk. Arrangements for this will be made in consultation with the prisoner and will be based on the best interests of the child, the welfare of the prisoner, and operational requirements. Flexible feeding times and the location of the feeding will also be considered.

Visit Arrangements
The policy regarding visitors for female prisoners is outlined in the Visits Policy.

Contact visits will take place in the community centre within the women’s area.  
Non-contact visits and private family visits will take place in the main visits centre. All visits should be booked in accordance with the Visits Policy.

Supervision of female prisoners
Male corrections officers should not enter the cell of a female prisoner without being in the presence of another corrections officer, other than when responding to an incident. Where practicable, only female corrections officers will monitor female prisoners via camera observation in the high needs cottage.

Male corrections officers will not be deployed as the sole escorting officer on external escorts.

Where a review of an incident is necessary, appropriate personnel (regardless of gender) who are directly responsible for ensuring compliance with policies and procedures may review recorded incidents.  

Searching of female prisoners
The searching of female prisoners will be conducted in accordance to the Searching Policy and Procedure. 

Female officers must complete all frisk and strip searches on women prisoners.

No male officer may witness the strip search of a woman prisoner. All male persons must be removed from any area in which a strip search of a woman prisoner is taking place.

Access to outside agencies
Subject to the approval of the Superintendent, members of community-based organisations operating outside the AMC may be granted access to the facility to conduct programs and/or education for female prisoners.  

Any member of a community-based organisation that is granted access to the facility is subject to all policies and procedures regarding searching and contraband.  

Forms/templates
Nil

Related Policies/Procedures
Access to Health Care Policy
Visits Policy
Searching Policy
Searching Procedure