Australian Capital Territory
Corrections Management (Custodial Information System Risk Alerts) Policy 2016 
Notifiable instrument NI2016-441
made under the  
Corrections Management Act 2007, s 14 (Corrections policies and operating procedures)

1	Name of instrument
This instrument is the Corrections Management (Custodial Information System Risk Alerts) Policy 2016.
2	Commencement
This instrument commences on the day after its notification day.
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.
4.	Revocation
This instrument revokes the Corrections Management (Custodial Information System Risk Alerts) Policy 2014 [NI2014-530].

Don Taylor
A/g Executive Director 
ACT Corrective Services
10 August 2016

Custodial Information System 
Risk Alerts Policy
All Facilities

Purpose
Authority
Objective
Information dissemination
1. Operating Procedure
     1.1 Definitions
     1.2 Recording
     1.3 Risk Category Table
     1.4 Inter-Agency communication
2. Forms and Templates
3. Related Policies and Operating Procedures
4. Relevant Documents
5. Relevant Memorandums of Understanding
6. Legislation Requirements
7. Document Properties
Schedule 1: Risk Category Table

Purpose
To outline the policies to be followed by ACT Corrective Services (ACTCS) staff to ensure the consistent management, categorisation and recording of risks related to detainee safety, welfare and security in ACT correctional centres.

The impact of this Policy on a detainee’s human rights has been considered consistent with the Human Rights Act 2004.  A detainee’s human rights are limited only to the extent that it is reasonably and demonstrably justifiable.

This Policy considers the recommendations of the Royal Commission into Aboriginal Deaths in Custody (RCIADIC). 

Authority
Corrections Management Act 2007, section 14, Chapter 9.

Objective
ACTCS will aim to maximise the care, safety and security of detainees, staff and the community through:
•	assessment and identification and of a detainee’s risk status;
•	effective management of risk related 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 treatment teams who have a role in the management of detainees.

Detainees will be managed in a manner which reflects agreed policies and procedures and operational strategies. Individual circumstances will assist in determining placement decisions and actions to be implemented.

Information dissemination
A copy of this Policy will be available on the ACT Legislation Register, available for inspection at a correctional centre on request, and may be viewed by ACTCS staff on the ACTCS Intranet.

1. Operating Procedure
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. 

Clinical record is the primary record for documenting clinical care by ACT Health staff.  It is any electronic or paper information recorded about a person for the purpose of managing their health care.

Corrections Psychological and Support Services (CPSS) is a business unit within ACTCS providing psychological and psychosocial services to persons in full time custody. CPSS is predominantly made up of health professionals and responsibilities include servicing the Crisis Support Unit (CSU) and Complex Needs Unit (Special Care Centre) within all areas of the correctional centre.

Health Professional refers to suitably qualified general and mental health professional supplied by ACT Health or ACTCS, which may include a General Practitioner, a Registered Nurse, a Forensic Mental Health Services Clinician, a Psychiatrist, or CPSS staff.

High Risk Assessment Team (HRAT) is a multi agency and multi disciplinary decision and intervention planning team to coordinate the management of ‘At Risk’ detainees who are vulnerable to suicide or self harm risks, specifically S rated detainees.  

Justice Health Services (Justice Health) sits within ACT Health and is responsible for providing primary health services and forensic mental health services to persons in custody in the ACT.  

Mental Health, Justice Health and Alcohol & Drug Services (MHJHADS) is the area within ACT Health responsible for the Justice Health Services.

Mental health professional is a person who has established experience and qualifications in Mental Health and who is registered with the Australian Health Professional Regulation Agency (AHPRA) including psychiatrists and psychiatric registrar or a social worker with relevant training.

Mental Health Services (MHS) also known as Forensic Mental Health Services (FMHS), sits within Justice Health Services and is responsible for providing mental health services to persons in full time custody in the ACT.  

Primary Health sits within Justice Health Services and is responsible for providing primary health care to persons in custody in the ACT.
 
Risks are defined and graded into a hierarchy of risk descriptors (see Schedule 1: Risk Category Table). The definitions and hierarchy is designed to support the consistent management of detainees by providing guidance for staff and is applicable across all sentence types, classifications or categories in the custodial environment. 

In some instances (for example ‘suicide or 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. 

1.2 Recording
Risk alerts will fall into the following main categories:
•	Suicide or 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 or agency in accordance with Schedule 1: Risk Category Table, and communicate the pertinent risk information in a timely manner.

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: Risk Category Table 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 policies and procedures relevant to the risk area for more specific information about detainee management.

1.4 Inter-Agency communication
Service providers (including but not limited to ACTCS and Justice Health Services) are expected to work cooperatively and share relevant authorised information in order to maximise the safety, effective care, treatment, security and good order of the correctional location and to meet the Australian Capital Territory’s 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).

2. Forms and Templates
Nil.

3. Related Policies and Operating Procedures
Admissions Procedure
AMC Detainee Classification Policy
Detainee At Risk Policy and Operating Procedure
Escort Policy
Escort Procedure
Intelligence Unit Policy
Management of Detainees in the Crisis Support Unit Policy
Protection Policy
Receiving Prisoners from Watch-House, Court Transport Unit Operating Procedure
Segregation Policy

4. Relevant Documents
Schedule 1: Risk Category Table

5. Relevant Memorandums of Understanding 
Nil.

6. Legislation Requirements
Corrections Management Act 2007
Human Rights Act 2004

7. Document Properties
Document Properties	Approval Details	
Date approved:	10 August 2016	
Date effective:		
Approved version:	Version 4	
Approved by:	Acting Executive Director, ACT Corrective Services	
Review date:	-	
Expiry date:	-	

Amendment History
Version No	Issue date	Notifiable Instrument No	
Version 1	28 March 2009	NI2009-142	
Version 2	11 November 2014	NI2014-522	
Version 3	19 January 2016	NI2016-14	

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 	
Suicide or 
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 Detainee At Risk Policy and Operating Procedure. 
Level of observations determined by S rating, unless otherwise directed by mental health professional or ACTCS Manager.	ACTCS
	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.  CPSS clinician to enter on unit records.
CPSS to provide information on the outcome of an assessment for any P rated detainee.
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 at risk 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		
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 Forensic Mental Health Services procedures, with appropriate category selected from this table. 
Cell placement to be determined by an ACTCS Manager (following consultation with Forensic Mental Health Services clinician if available).
Level of observation not included. Refer for S rating assessment.	ACTCS
Justice Health Services
	Assessment by a Justice Health professional. 
PA determination by Justice Health Services.
P1, P2, P3 and PA determination by Justice Health professionals. 
Approved for entry onto CIS by Area Manager or Operations Manager.	Area Manager,          Nightshift Supervisor, Operations Manager
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		Determine appropriate placement		

Escape
E1, E2, E3	Any significant, moderate or low level risk of escape from custody.

These are to be assessed in accordance with the 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 AMC Detainee Classification Policy). 	ACTCS	Assessment by/advice from Intelligence Officer, or Admissions Supervisor, or outside agency/person (for example, Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) or Police).
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	 	

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, Escort Procedure and the 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 segregation 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		

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.	Deputy General Manager, 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		
					
Intelligence	Contact AMC Intel when making other assessments about detainee	ACTCS	Identification by Intelligence Officer	Intelligence Officer	

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 Services procedures, with an appropriate category selected from this table. 

Level of observations (if required) to be recommended by a Justice Health professional.
Cell placement to be determined by an ACTCS manager (following consultation with Justice Health Services if available). 	ACTCS
Justice Health Services 	Category advice from Justice Health Services – Primary Health at admission, or following any assessment by a health professional	Admissions Supervisor, Area Manager, Operations Manager.

Justice Health Services 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