Australian Capital Territory
Corrections Management (Custodial Information System Risk Alerts) Policy 2014
Notifiable instrument NI2014-530
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 (Custodial Information System Risk Alerts) Policy 2014.

2	Commencement
This instrument commences on the day after it is notified.
3	Policy
I make the

Custodial Information System Risk Alerts policy

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

[SIGNED]

Bernadette Mitcherson
Executive Director 
ACT Corrective Services
21 October 2014

ACT Corrective Services
All Facilities

            Custodial Information System
Risk Alerts Policy

Contents
Purpose
Authority
Scope of Change
Policy
1.0	Principles
1.1	Definitions
1.2	Recording
1.3 	Risk Category Table
1.4	Inter-Agency Communication
Schedules
Forms/Templates
Related policies and procedures
Schedule 1: Risk Category Table
	
Purpose
To provide instruction for the consistent management, categorisation and recording of risks about detainee safety, welfare and security in ACT Corrective Services’ (ACTCS) locations.
Authority
Legislation
Corrections Management Act 2007, section 14.
Scope of Change
This is a new policy.
Policy
1.0	Principles
ACT Correctional locations will maximise the safety and security of detainees through:
•	assessment and identification and of a detainee’s risk status;
•	effective management of risk issues as they arise and in accordance with the detainee’s risk rating;
•	fostering of an environment which is positive and responsive; and
•	ensuring the effective sharing of appropriate information and provision of relevant documents and updates between all parties who have a role in the management of detainees.
1.1	Definitions
CIS refers to the Custodial Information System computerised database managed by ACTCS. The capacity to access and modify risk types on CIS will depend upon user roles and authorisations in line with ACTCS policies and procedures. 

Health Professional refers to suitably qualified general and mental health professional supplied by the health service provider or ACTCS, which may include a General Practitioner, a Registered Nurse, a Forensic Mental Health Services Clinician, a Psychiatrist, and the Senior Manager or Senior Clinician from Corrections Psychological and Support Services (CPSS).

Health Service Provider is the assigned health service to each custodial correctional location, which provides assessment and treatment services to detainees.

HRAT refers to the High Risk Assessment Team. The HRAT provides the framework for the involvement of correctional officers in the multidisciplinary mental health treatment team. Responsibility includes, but is not limited to, determining entry and exit from the Crisis Support Unit (CSU); determining changes is detainee risk; and to facilitate risk management, treatments and exit plans for the CSU. 

Mental Health Professional is a person who has established experience and qualifications in the mental health field. Established experience means the minimum standard for established experience as a registered professional (for example: nurse, clinician, social worker) with a minimum 12 months experience working in the mental health field over the previous 3 years. Qualifications means the minimum standard of a recognised and accredited mental health training course. At the Alexander Maconochie Centre (AMC), a mental health professional may include a Forensic Mental Health Services Clinician, a Psychiatrist, a Social worker, a Registered Nurse, a General Practitioner (GP), and the Senior Manager (CPSS) 

MHAGIC refers to the clinical case management database managed by Forensic Mental Health Services. The capacity to access and modify risk types on MHAGIC will depend upon user roles and authorisations in line with Forensic Mental Health Services policies and procedures.

Prison Manager means the General Manager Custodial Operations, Deputy General Manager Custodial Operations, Operations Manager or their delegate.

Risks are defined and some graded into a hierarchy of risk descriptors (see table at Schedule 1). The definitions and hierarchy is designed to support the consistent management of detainees by providing guidance for staff at operational locations and is applicable across all sentence types in the custodial environment. 

In some instances (for example ‘suicide/self harm’, ‘psychiatric’, ‘escape’), letter and number codes represent levels of each risk type. Descriptors otherwise provide a definition of the risk level and/or type. Detainees will be managed in a manner which reflects agreed policies and procedures and operational strategies. Individual circumstances will determine placement decisions and actions to be implemented.

1.2	Recording
Risk alerts will fall into the following main categories:
•	Suicide/Self Harm
•	Psychiatric 
•	Escape
•	Security 
•	Intelligence 
•	Violence
•	Medical

Designated staff will use the Classification Assessments tab/section of CIS to accurately record dates, risk types and results/actions, in accordance with ACTCS policies and procedures.  The results are then visible in the ‘Alerts’ section of the detainee menu screen.

If a staff member without the relevant user access or authorisation to record or modify risk ratings is made aware of any risk, they must notify the relevant person/agency and communicate the pertinent risk information in a timely manner.

Risk categories for a detainee’s suicide/self harm (S1-4) and psychiatric status (P1-3, PA) will also be recorded on the Forensic Mental Health Services (MHS) case management database, MHAGIC, by MHS clinicians. Risk categories for medical status (M1-3) may also be recorded on Justice Health records. 

The CIS ‘Assessments’ section contains a range of further assessment types and results, where staff may continue to record other aspects of the detainee’s status; for example, legal status (appeal, immigration hold), drug test results, visit status, smoker, loss of privileges (LOPs) - this list should not be considered exhaustive. 
1.3 	Risk Category Table
Schedule 1 provides an overview of the main risks, codes, descriptors responsible agencies and recommended actions. The table should be used as a guide only – staff should refer to relevant policies and procedures for more specific information about detainee management.
1.4	Inter-Agency Communication
Service providers (including but not limited to ACTCS, Justice Health Services, including Forensic Mental Health Services) are expected to work cooperatively and share relevant authorised information in order to maximise the safety, security and good order of the correctional location and to meet the Australian Capital Territory’s (the Territory) duty of care to detainees. 

In order to maintain the integrity of alerts and information sharing, information must be entered into CIS in a timely manner in accordance with this and other relevant policy and procedures (identified below).
Schedules
Schedule 1: Risk Category table
Forms/Templates	
Prisoner Alert checklist
Related policies and procedures
Receiving Prisoners from Watchhouse Procedure (CTU)
Admissions Policy
Detainee at Risk Procedures
Intelligence Unit Policy
Corrections Management (AMC Detainee Classification) Policy  
Protection Policy
Segregation Policy
Management of detainees in the Crisis Support Unit Procedure

Schedule 1: Risk Category Table
All categories are to be entered on CIS Risk Alerts. Note: where there is a reference to Admissions officers, this includes relevant Court Transport Unit (CTU) officers.
Risk/Alert Category 	Definition	Responsible Services	Category Assessment/ Approval	Entry on CIS 	
1  Suicide/Self Harm  
S1, S2, S3, S4	Any immediate, significant, potential, or previous incident or history of suicide or self harm actions. 
These are to be assessed and actioned in accordance with the ACTCS Detainee At Risk Procedures. 
Level of observations determined by S rating, unless otherwise directed by mental health clinician or ACTCS manager.	ACTCS
Justice Health Services
Mental Health Services	Assessment by a mental health professional.
Category determined/ approved by the HRAT, by the Operations Manager, or the General Manager.	Area Manager,          Nightshift Supervisor,      Operations Manager, HRAT Coordinator.          MHS clinician to enter on MHAGIC.
At admission, or after HRAT, or following an assessment by a mental health professional.	
S1	Immediate risk of suicide or self harm                  	Min 15 min observations 	Determine appropriate placement 		
S2	Significant risk of suicide or self harm	Min 30 min observations	Determine appropriate placement	(Default category for detainee pending MHS assessment)	
S3	Potential risk of suicide or self harm	60 min observations or per Risk Management Plan (RMP)	Determine appropriate placement		
S4	History of risk of suicide or self harm	No observations or per RMP	Determine appropriate placement		
					
2  Psychiatric 
P1, P2, P3, PA
	Any psychiatric condition that requires immediate treatment or diagnosis, including known or suspected conditions that have not been confirmed.
These are to be assessed in accordance with Mental Health Services procedures, with appropriate category selected from this table. 
Cell placement to be determined by an ACTCS manager (following consultation with Mental Health Services clinician if available).
Level of observation (only if required) as assessed and determined by mental health clinician / psychiatrist.	ACTCS
Mental Health Services	Assessment by a Mental Health professional. 
PA determination by Justice Health with referral to Mental Health Services.
P1, P2, P3 determination by Mental Health Services clinician/ psychiatrist. Approved for entry onto CIS by Area Manager or Operations Manager.	Area Manager,          Nightshift Supervisor, Operations Manager
MHS clinician to enter on MHAGIC.          
At admission, or after HRAT, or following an assessment by a mental health professional.
	
P1
	Serious psychiatric condition requiring intensive and/or immediate care. Consider transfer to inpatient mental health unit.                		Determine appropriate placement		
P2	Significant ongoing psychiatric condition requiring psychiatric/mental health treatment		Determine appropriate placement		
P3	Stable psychiatric condition requiring appointment or continuing treatment		Determine appropriate placement		
PA	Suspected psychiatric condition requiring assessment	Refer to MHS for assessment 	Determine appropriate placement		
					
3  Escape
E1, E2, E3	Any significant, moderate or low level risk of escape from custody.
These are to be assessed in accordance with the Corrections Management (AMC Detainee Classification) Policy. 
For detainees serving an indeterminate sentence, or a sentence with a non-parole period of 10 years or more, or convicted of murder, the E category may only be reduced with the approval of the Executive Director (as per the Corrections Management (AMC Detainee Classification) Policy). 	ACTCS	Assessment by/advice from Intelligence Officer, or Admissions Supervisor.
Category approved by the General Manager or Executive Director.	Area Manager,           Nightshift Supervisor,     Operations Manager.	
E1	Significant risk of escape                                 	Suitable for Maximum or Medium classification	Determine appropriate placement	  	
E2	Moderate risk of escape                                 	Suitable for Maximum, Medium, or Minimum 1 classification	Determine appropriate placement		
E3	Low risk of escape                                        	Suitable for Maximum, Medium, Minimum 1/2/3 classification	Determine appropriate placement	 	
					
4  Security 	Detainee requires placement to address a specific or general security risk or need. This may include restriction to or from an area in the correctional centre, or from association with another detainee/s.
This is to be assessed and actioned in accordance with the Protection Policy, Segregation Policy, Escort Policy and Procedures and the Corrections Management (AMC Detainee Classification) Policy. 	ACTCS	Admissions Supervisor,  Operations Manager, General Manager	Area Manager,               Nightshift Supervisor,      Operations Manager	
Priority Escort	Detainee is on AMC Priority Escort List – see section 2.4 Escort Policy.                                  Staffing levels and accoutrements on all Priority Escorts will be determined by the General Manager and/or Executive Director.               		Assessment by Intelligence Officer, Operations Manager. Approval by General Manager. 		
Strict Protection	Detainee requires higher level specific or general protection from other detainee/s		Determine appropriate placement		
Protection	Detainee requires specific or general protection from other detainee/s		Determine appropriate placement		
Non-association	Detainee requires separation from other identified detainee/s for safety or security reasons		Determine appropriate placement		
Segregation	Detainee requires separation from other detainees for management, safety or security reasons		Determine appropriate placement		
Sex Offender	Detainee currently held on sex offence/s or has known history of sex offence/s		Identification at Admission, or following court escort 
Determine appropriate placement		
Vulnerable	Detainee requires more intensive monitoring and/or separation due to vulnerable status in custodial environment (e.g. known intellectual, sensory or physical disability/injury/incapacity, language difficulty, subject to threats from others, crown witness, etc)		Determine appropriate placement		
					
5  Violence 
V1, V2, V3	Detainee has known history of violence against others. Detainee may be subject to restricted regime or management measures for security/safety reasons.	ACTCS
	Admissions Supervisor, Area Managers.        May include advice from ACT Policing.	Area Manager, Operations Manager	
V1	Immediate threat or significant violence against authority figures - includes prisons, community corrections, police.    Guidance to assess risk: 
o	significant violent incident has occurred or is likely to occur against authority figures;
o	has a significant violence history against authority figures; 
o	suspected or found to carry weapons in custody.		Determine appropriate placement/regime. Approval by General Manager required.		
V2	Propensity/pattern of regularly using significant violence against others.
Guidance to assess risk: 
o	Sustained pattern of significant violent behaviour towards others; 
o	significant propensity of violence towards others; 
o	history of violence/intimidation to other person in custody resulting in significant intervention by authorities; 
o	known to carry weapons or likely to seek access to them; 
o	know to become significantly violent when exposed to identified stressors		Determine appropriate placement/regime		
V3	History of significant violence.
Guidance to assess risk: 
o	Previous history of violent behaviour but not an established pattern of violence.		Determine appropriate placement		
					
6  Intelligence	Contact AMC Intel when making other assessments about detainee	ACTCS	Identification by Intelligence Officer	Intelligence Officer	
					
7  Medical
M1, M2, M3	Detainee has a health condition that requires treatment or diagnosis, including known or suspected conditions that have not been confirmed. These are to be assessed in accordance with Justice Health procedures, with an appropriate category selected from this table. 
Level of observations (if required) to be recommended by health professional.
Cell placement to be determined by an ACTCS manager (following consultation with Justice Health if available). 	ACTCS
Justice Health	Category advice from Justice Health at admission, or following any assessment by a health professional	Admissions Supervisor, Area Manager, Operations Manager.
Justice Health may enter M rating on health records.	
M1	Serious medical condition/symptoms requiring immediate treatment	Consult with health provider for escorts and discharges.                               	Determine appropriate placement 	 	
M2	Medical condition requiring regular or ongoing treatment		Determine appropriate placement		
M3	Known or suspected medical condition/ symptoms requiring assessment	Medical referral/ appointment.	Determine appropriate placement