risdon prison visit times

Risdon Prison Complex

Below is official information.

The reality is very different as was shown in the NSW Inspector’s Report .

We ask people who have personal experience to fill in the online Questionnaire so we can publish reports on the iExpress website.

  http://www.justice.tas.gov.au/prisonservice/visiting/rpc

WELCOME TO IEXPRESS , THE WORLD’S FIRST FULL ONLINE AVENUE OF EXPRESSION FOR PEOPLE IN PRISONS AND FORENSIC HOSPITALS, BRINGING THEM INTO THE DIGITAL WORLD SINCE 2013.

Postal Address PO Box 386, Broadway NSW 2007 Australia

Our Offices Trades Hall, Suite 204, 4 Goulburn St, Sydney NSW 2000 Australia

CONTACT Call Us 02 9283 0123 Fax Us 92830112 Visit Our Website www justiceaction.org.au

© iexpress 2023

The Prison Direct

Complete prison Details you need to know

Risdon Prison Complex

Table of Contents

Risdon Prison Complex is a correctional facility located in Hobart, Tasmania. It plays a vital role in the criminal justice system of the state, housing inmates who have been sentenced to imprisonment for various offenses. With its commitment to ensuring public safety, rehabilitation, and reducing recidivism rates, Risdon Prison Complex has become a significant institution in Tasmania’s criminal justice landscape.

Introduction to Risdon Prison Complex

Risdon Prison Complex, also known as the Hobart Prison, was established in 1803 and is one of the oldest operational prisons in Australia. Over the years, it has evolved into a modern correctional facility that focuses not only on maintaining secure custody but also on providing programs and services aimed at reintegrating inmates back into society successfully.

History and Background of Risdon Prison Complex

The history of Risdon Prison Complex is deeply rooted in Tasmania’s convict past. Originally built as a timber and wattle prison, it housed both male and female convicts during the early settlement of Hobart. Since then, it has undergone multiple transformations to keep up with changing correctional philosophies and standards.

Facilities and Infrastructure

Risdon Prison Complex encompasses a vast area and consists of multiple cell blocks, administrative buildings, and support facilities. The cell blocks are designed to accommodate different security classifications of inmates, ensuring appropriate separation and supervision. The complex also includes dedicated spaces for health services, educational programs, and recreational activities.

Cell Blocks

The complex comprises several cell blocks, each catering to specific inmate classifications based on security and behavior. These blocks are equipped with modern facilities, including individual cells, communal areas, and amenities necessary for daily living.

Health Services

The health and well-being of inmates are prioritized at Risdon Prison Complex. The facility has a comprehensive healthcare system that provides medical, dental, and mental health services. Qualified healthcare professionals, including doctors and nurses, are available on-site to address the healthcare needs of inmates.

Educational Programs

Recognizing the importance of education in reducing recidivism, Risdon Prison Complex offers a range of educational programs to inmates. These programs include adult literacy and numeracy classes, vocational training, and even tertiary education opportunities in partnership with local educational institutions.

Recreation Facilities

To promote physical and mental well-being, the prison complex provides recreational facilities for inmates. These facilities include sports fields, gymnasiums, and libraries, allowing inmates to engage in physical activities, develop new skills, and access reading materials.

Security Measures

Maintaining a secure environment within the prison complex is paramount to ensuring the safety of both staff and inmates. Risdon Prison Complex employs various security measures to prevent escapes and minimize the risk of violence or unauthorized activities.

Perimeter Security

The prison complex is surrounded by secure perimeter fencing, equipped with advanced intrusion detection systems. Additionally, the facility has controlled access points, including gates and checkpoints, which are closely monitored by trained staff.

Surveillance Systems

To enhance security, Risdon Prison Complex utilizes state-of-the-art surveillance systems. These systems comprise a network of cameras strategically placed throughout the complex, providing comprehensive coverage of key areas. The footage is monitored in real-time by dedicated staff.

Staff Training and Deployment

The prison complex invests significantly in staff training to ensure they possess the necessary skills to manage a correctional facility effectively. Training includes conflict resolution, emergency response, and the implementation of evidence-based practices for inmate management. Staff members are deployed strategically to maintain a secure and controlled environment.

Programs and Rehabilitation

Risdon Prison Complex strongly believes in the importance of rehabilitation to reduce reoffending rates and facilitate successful reintegration into society. Various programs and services are offered to inmates to address their individual needs and support their journey towards positive change.

Vocational Training

Inmates are provided with vocational training opportunities to develop practical skills that can increase their employability upon release. Carpentry, plumbing, horticulture, and culinary arts are among the vocational programs available. These programs empower inmates with the necessary skills to pursue sustainable employment post-incarceration.

Substance Abuse Programs

Substance abuse is a common issue among inmates, and Risdon Prison Complex addresses this problem through specialized programs. In collaboration with addiction counselors, inmates have access to counseling, group therapy, and education on substance abuse and relapse prevention.

Mental Health Services

Recognizing the prevalence of mental health issues among inmates, the prison complex offers mental health services. Qualified mental health professionals provide assessment, counseling, and psychiatric support to inmates who require assistance. The goal is to improve mental well-being and equip inmates with coping strategies for their eventual reintegration into society.

Challenges and Issues Faced by Risdon Prison Complex

Like any correctional facility, Risdon Prison Complex faces numerous challenges in its operation and pursuit of rehabilitation goals. These challenges must be addressed to maintain a safe and effective environment for both inmates and staff.

Overcrowding

One of the significant challenges faced by Risdon Prison Complex is overcrowding. The increasing number of inmates often strains the facility’s resources and affects the quality of services provided. Efforts are being made to address this issue, including exploring alternative sentencing options and expanding infrastructure.

Staffing Shortages

Maintaining an adequate number of well-trained staff members is crucial for the smooth operation of the prison complex. However, staffing shortages pose a challenge, impacting the level of supervision and services that can be provided to inmates. Attracting and retaining qualified staff is an ongoing priority for the prison administration.

Rehabilitation Success Rates

Measuring the success of rehabilitation programs can be complex, and Risdon Prison Complex faces the challenge of accurately evaluating the effectiveness of its efforts. Factors such as post-release employment, recidivism rates, and community integration play a role in determining the success of the facility’s rehabilitation initiatives.

Community Engagement and Support

Risdon Prison Complex recognizes the importance of community engagement and support in achieving successful reintegration outcomes. Collaboration with non-profit organizations, community groups, and volunteers plays a significant role in providing additional resources and support to inmates.

Partnership with Non-Profit Organizations

Risdon Prison Complex collaborates with non-profit organizations to enhance the range of programs and services available to inmates. These partnerships may involve job placement support, mentoring programs, and assistance with housing and community integration upon release.

Reintegration Programs

Preparing inmates for successful reintegration into society is a key focus at Risdon Prison Complex. Reintegration programs encompass various aspects, such as life skills training, social support, and assistance with accessing community resources. By equipping inmates with the necessary tools and support, the prison complex aims to reduce recidivism and promote positive change.

Comparisons with Other Prison Facilities

To continually improve its operations and outcomes, Risdon Prison Complex compares itself with other correctional facilities and incorporates best practices from around the world.

Technology Integration

Risdon Prison Complex strives to stay at the forefront of technological advancements in correctional services. The facility actively explores the integration of technology, such as biometrics for identity verification, automated inmate management systems, and innovative surveillance solutions.

Staff Incentive Programs

Recognizing the vital role of staff members in achieving positive outcomes, Risdon Prison Complex implements incentive programs to motivate and reward employees. These programs may include recognition for exceptional performance, career development opportunities, and initiatives that promote staff well-being.

Recidivism Rates

Comparing recidivism rates with other correctional facilities allows Risdon Prison Complex to assess the effectiveness of its rehabilitation programs. By monitoring and benchmarking recidivism data, the facility can identify areas for improvement and implement evidence-based practices that have proven successful elsewhere.

Positive Impact and Success Stories

Risdon Prison Complex has witnessed numerous success stories that highlight the positive impact of its programs and initiatives on inmates’ lives.

Testimonials from Former Inmates

Former inmates who have successfully reintegrated into society often credit Risdon Prison Complex for their transformation. Testimonials from these individuals emphasize the importance of the facility’s rehabilitative programs, education opportunities, and support from staff in their journey towards a crime-free life.

Reduction in Recidivism

The ultimate measure of success for Risdon Prison Complex lies in the reduction of recidivism rates. By providing inmates with the necessary tools, skills, and support, the facility aims to break the cycle of reoffending and promote a safer community.

Risdon Prison Complex serves as a cornerstone of Tasmania’s correctional system, prioritizing public safety, rehabilitation, and successful reintegration. Through its comprehensive programs, commitment to security, and collaborative efforts with the community, the complex strives to equip inmates with the tools and opportunities needed to turn their lives around.

• How many inmates does Risdon Prison Complex hold? Risdon Prison Complex has a capacity to hold approximately X number of inmates. The capacity is periodically reviewed and adjusted to meet the needs of the correctional system.
• Are there any specialized programs for women inmates? Yes, Risdon Prison Complex provides specialized programs and services for women inmates, addressing their unique needs and circumstances.
• How does the prison address mental health issues among inmates? Risdon Prison Complex has dedicated mental health services, including assessment, counseling, and psychiatric support, to address the mental health needs of inmates.
• What steps are taken to ensure the safety of both inmates and staff? Risdon Prison Complex employs a range of security measures, including perimeter security, surveillance systems, and comprehensive staff training, to maintain a safe environment for all.
• Does Risdon Prison Complex have any plans for expansion? The prison complex periodically assesses its infrastructure needs and considers expansion plans to accommodate the growing inmate population and improve facilities.

Related Posts

Hobart Remand Centre

Ashley Youth Detention Centre

• Who is Jesus?
• Getting Baptised
• Is church for me?
• Church services
• Sermon Library
• Planned Giving
• Hope Partners (Membership)
• Missions Give
• Annual Reports
• Counselling
• Emergency Food Pantry
• Mad Wheels Youth
• Pastoral Care

Prisoner Support

• Christmas Hampers
• Hope Discovery Family Centre
• Children's Programs
• Youth Programs
• Young Adult Programs
• Connect Groups
• Volunteering
• Daily Hope Bible Readings
• Upcoming Events & Courses

Prisoner and Family Support and Mentoring

The church can provide support through mentors for people released from prison, developing relationships during their time in prison, and continuing this mentoring relationship after their release. This support includes connection with a range of services such as emergency food hampers, someone to talk to or referrals to other services at Door of Hope (and other agencies) for themselves or their children. The community care team can also provide support to the families of prisoners. This assists in connecting them with relevant opportunities and courses including courses offered here at Door of Hope, such as the Recovery Course .

Connecting you to your loved one

Our community care team are able to facilitate a zoom call for those who are unable to facilitate this themselves. If you'd like to connect with a loved one who's in prison, you will need to be on the prisoner’s official visitors list for this to occur. Please fill out the form below to talk to us about facilitating a zoom visit.

Contact Form

For more information about how we can support you and your family, or for help in facilitating a zoom visit, please fill in the form below.

Sad life of ‘Prisoner X’ revealed after he is set free

AN EXPERT witness has described what life was like inside Tasmania’s notorious Risdon Prison for the man treated worse than Martin Bryant.

‘17 hours’: Horrific detail in brothers’ deaths

Major update in Lehrmann rape appeal

Kids’ screams before horror crash

A PRISONER was kept in his cell for 23 hours a day. He had no TV, no radio and was allowed only one book.

When he “exercised”, his hands were cuffed and his feet were shackled with leg irons, forcing half steps as the chain dragged along the ground.

The yard he accessed for sunlight was no bigger than 4m x 5m. This went on for more than 14 years, according to a witness at a trial for his release.

It sounds like something you would read about “only in America”, but this story belongs to the maximum security unit at the notorious Risdon Prison, north of Hobart, Tasmania.

The prisoner is not Martin Bryant, Risdon’s most well-known inmate . It’s a man who cannot be named but whose crimes pale in comparison to the massacre Bryant unleashed at Port Arthur.

‘Prisoner X’, as he is known, committed armed robbery, but that’s not what landed him in solitary confinement. His attitude did, according to the professor of criminology who testified when Prisoner X sued the Tasmanian Government, citing cruel and unusual punishment.

Professor Peter Norden, who formerly visited inmates including Mark “Chopper” Read at Victoria’s Pentridge Prison and has toured jails around the world, is telling Prisoner X’s story on Thursday.

He is lifting the lid on what went on at the prison’s “behaviour management” section. The presentation, which controversially compares the Tasmanian lockup system to Guantanamo Bay, is being delivered at the Australian and New Zealand Society of Criminology conference.

“I’m not comparing Risdon Prison to Guantanamo as a whole, just the part where this prisoner was held for so many years. It was, in some respects, worse (than Guantanamo Bay),” Prof Norden told news.com.au.

“The regime in this unit is that inmates are allowed out for only one hour a day. At Guantanamo, they’re allowed out for two hours a day and can communicate to each other 24/7. “Prisoner X was not allowed that. It was more severe in that respect. He wasn’t tortured, but there are a lot of parallels.”

Prisoner X sued the state government and won. He claimed conditions breached international standards, specifically the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and the Convention Against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment.

The government paid $30,000 towards his legal costs.

Prof Norden said the prison was found to be in contravention of provisions within the Corrections Act 1997 and in breach of a duty of care they had for the plaintiff.

Prisoner X was moved into a different section of the prison and eventually released in 2014. Prof Norden says he has concerns for what time in solitary did to him.

“Part of my conclusion is that there could be serious mental damage. Not just to him but to staff. There was no ongoing assessment into this individual over that time,” he said.

“It happens quite a lot in prisons in Australia and you have to wonder what goes through a person’s mind when they’re in solitary for that long.

“The question I have is: What happens when they’re released? If we’re concerned with community safety, we have to start looking at not only the victims of the past but the victims of the future. What happens when that person gets on the street?”

Prof Norden says what happened at Risdon Prison happens elsewhere, often with prisoners who have been arrested but not convicted of a crime.

“Throughout the country, many people get put in 23-hour-a-day lockup, including people who are on remand.”

He said, having visited prisons all over the world, Australia’s system is worse than many others.

“I’ve been to places where they use solitary confinement in a different way to us. They use it for two hours as punishment and then they go and check up on the prisoner,” he said.

“If they’re still abusive they leave them for another two hours and then come back and have a discussion. After six hours they might be apologetic and back with the general population.”

Prisoner X’s stay in solitary is worse than even Martin Bryant’s. A News Corp exclusive from September last year revealed how Australia’s worst killer has become “grossly overweight” but has access to a large recreational yard, a football and other inmates.

He even gets visits from his mother.

Risdon Prison has more than 200 maximum security cells and a 38-bed mental health unit. It is Tasmania’s only maximum security prison.

The most secure unit of the prison opened in 1960 and offers the bare minimum for inmates, including a toilet and hand basin.

Prof Norden’s presentation, Locked in Tasmania’s Guantanamo , was being delivered on Thursday in Hobart.

News.com.au has contacted the Tasmania Government for comment.

A Blue Mountains mother has faced court for the first time since being charged with the murder of her two young sons.

A major update has emerged in Bruce Lehrmann’s appeal against his brutal defamation suit loss to Network 10 and Lisa Wilkinson.

A real estate agent who failed to report a driver in a fatal alleged street race which killed two young brothers has been slammed in court for her “shameful” conduct.

Risdon Prison Complex

Risdon Prison Complex is an Australian medium to maximum security prison for males located in Risdon Vale near Hobart , Tasmania . The facility is operated by the Tasmanian Prison Service, an agency of the Department of Justice of the Government of Tasmania . The facility accepts criminals convicted under Tasmanian and/or Commonwealth legislation.

Maximum security

Wilfred lopes centre for forensic mental health, medium security, inquiries into facilities, controversies, notable prisoners, external links.

The complex comprises 219 maximum security cells for males; 84 medium security cells for males; and a 38-bed secure mental health unit called the Wilfred Lopes Centre for Forensic Mental Health. A separate 45-bed women's prison, called the Mary Hutchinson Women's Prison , is located adjacent to the Risdon Prison Complex. The complex was formerly known as HM Prison Risdon.

Correctional facilities at Risdon have been constructed in two phases, between 1956 and 1963, and again between 2001 and 2006.

A series of escapes from the Campbell Street Gaol in Hobart resulted in a 1943 Royal Commission into the H.M. Gaol Department. In 1949 the Department obtained by compulsory acquisition a 90 acres (36   ha) property on the eastern side of the Derwent River , not far from Risdon Cove where the initial European settlement of Tasmania occurred. [1] In 1956, plans commenced to design the prison and construction was completed in 1960.

Facilities for female prisoners were completed in 1963, and inmates were moved from Campbell Street Gaol, resulting in closure of the Campbell Street Gaol. The new women's facility, initially known as Risdon Women's Prison, is now called the Mary Hutchinson Women's Prison. [1]

In 1974, a low security unit, later called the Ron Barwick Medium Security Prison, was opened, accommodating 120 inmates at its peak. By 1981, declining numbers resulted in closure of the unit. The minimum security was re-opened in 1991 and closed again in 1997 on the grounds of economic viability. [3] The medium security facility opened again, and closed in 2004 as part of the redevelopment of the whole complex. In 2007, the facility was reopened [4] as a minimum security centre.

A special prison hospital was built in 1978, that houses persons suffering mental illness who are subject to the criminal justice system. [1]

Opened in November 1960 as Her Majesty's Prison Risdon, the 349–cell [5] maximum security prison was widely considered the most advanced prison in Australia. [3] Critics have called the design, which embodies concepts in prison architecture from the U.S., several decades out of date and unsuitable for Tasmania's temperate climate, particularly in winter. [5] The architect was Brian B. Lewis of the University of Melbourne . [6]

All prisoners were accommodated in single occupancy cells containing a toilet and hand basin with running water. Heating was also provided in the cells together with access to local radio stations on headphones. During construction, inmate populations increased, and Lewis's original plans were changed by adding 72 additional cells, halving the space devoted to exercise yards. None of the other prison facilities, such as workshops and recreation space, were enlarged to allow for the increased capacity. [3]

The complex houses maximum security inmates within its Derwent, Huon, Franklin and Tamar units. With the exception of Tamar, mainstream maximum-security units each have 26 beds, mostly single bed cells but with several two-bed "buddy" cells. The cells are located over two storeys around a common "day" area including lounge and dining facilities. Cells are equipped with a shower, toilet, bed, writing desk and television. Access is available to an attached, mesh-enclosed, exercise yard. The maximum-security part of the campus also includes needs assessment, protection , crisis support, detention and behaviour management units, with layouts similar to the mainstream units. [7]

The behaviour management unit, called Tamar, is an 8-cell high security unit used to house prisoners who are considered to pose a particularly high risk to correctional staff, to other prisoners or detainees, or to the maintenance of good order and security in the prison. [8]

In 2006, the Wilfred Lopes Centre for Forensic Mental Health replaced the Risdon Prison Hospital. The prison hospital was located within the grounds of the old H.M. Risdon Prison and had 28 single cells that provided medical assessment on reception, outpatient care, inpatient care, and inpatient psychiatric care.

The Wilfred Lopes Centre is situated near the Risdon Prison Complex, but is not part of the prison. It is a health facility owned and managed by the Department of Health and Human Services . Patients are provided with specialised psychiatric care and treatment. Treatment is based on individually tailored programs designed to support independence and dignity, and minimise the ill effects of long-term care. The 35-bed unit caters for the varying needs of clients, including a mix of males and females. The grounds are landscaped to help create a therapeutic environment. The Centre includes 12 beds in a high-dependency unit , for people with acute illness; 18 beds in an extended care unit, for people who require a less restrictive environment and are able to participate in rehabilitation activities; and 5 beds in a semi-independent living unit for people preparing for discharge into the community. There is also a 3-bed de-escalation suite with three seclusion rooms, lounge and courtyard (not counted as part of bed-numbers). [9]

Located outside the perimeter of the maximum security prison, the Ron Barwick Medium Security Prison contained thirty six cells and an indoor recreation area. This facility operated an incentive for inmates of the maximum security prison to strive to achieve a medium security classification in order that they may be transferred to the better conditions in the Ron Barwick Prison. The facility has opened and closed on several occasions since it first opened in 1974. The facility was demolished in 2004 to make way for the new prison. In 2006, the old H.M. Risdon Prison was renamed as Ron Barwick Minimum Security prison, [1] even though is it classified as a medium security environment. Medium security inmates are housed in units of either 6 or 8 beds. Each unit has individual bedrooms, along with a two-bed "buddy" room, and common lounge, dining, toilet and shower facilities. Inmates have access to a majority of the outdoor grounds in the medium security part of the complex. [7]

In 1999, a Tasmanian Parliament Committee reported that the number of cells far exceeded any likely requirements at the time of construction or since. The Committee reported that the Corrective Services Division advised that between 1992 and 1997 the entire prison system had an average of between a total of 250 and 300 inmates spread through all the facilities. [5] The Committee reported that the facility is "fundamentally inappropriate": [5]

It operates as a series of cages and cells which open to exposed yards. It is devoid of any of the normal features of a dwelling or residential facility. The only institution in our society with which this facility could be closely compared is a zoo. It would be difficult to design an institution which would be more calculated to promote an alienated sub-culture, entirely inconsistent with desirable normal social behaviour and values.

A 2001 report by the Tasmanian Ombudsman stated: [10]

No prison is a pleasant place, but the Risdon Prison is a particularly unpleasant place. It is bleak, cold and grey and, even if a very large amount of money were to be spent on the facility, it is unlikely that it could ever conform to contemporary prison standards. The buildings reflect years of relative neglect by successive governments and even when it was built, forty years ago, the Prison would have been out of date and totally inappropriate in its design for the rigours of a Tasmanian winter. Moreover, it was built as a Maximum Security Prison and remains so, even though the demand has never been for a full maximum security facility. When additional stresses, such as an unexpected surge in prisoner numbers or a significant change in the nature of the prisoner population occur, as has happened at Risdon, there is an inevitable strain on resources and management. Staff morale drops, inmate unrest and dissatisfaction escalate and the system begins to crack. This is what had happened at Risdon, and had been happening for a significant period of time prior to the investigation.

The Ombudsman's Report follows a coronial inquiry into five deaths in custody that occurred between August 1999 and January 2000. In March 2011 the Coroner found that in four of the five cases, management of the complex: [11]

...failed to provide a physical environment which would minimise the risk of self harm and a system of care which would recognise a vulnerability to suicide and actively promote steps to prevent it.

The Ombudsman reported again, this time in 2010, when he initiated an investigation of his own accord following receipts of a number of complaints during 2007 and 2008 which made him concerned about the conditions under which the prisoners in the high risk management unit, called Tamar, were being held. In his report, the Ombudsman commented that: [8]

I was concerned that the conditions in Tamar might not be humane.

Further, he found:

that there is no formal practice for informing prisoners of the reasons for their placement in the unit, and that the management of the unit does not comply with national or international standards in this regard.

that prisoners are not adequately informed about the rules and conditions which apply to them in the unit, and that this is not compliant with national standards.

that prisoners have been held in the unit for indeterminate periods of time, on the basis of perceived dangerousness, and that this is incompatible with national standards and standards observed in other jurisdictions.

that the BMP [Behavioural Management Program] has not always been applied consistently and objectively.

that the monthly reviews of a prisoner's performance under the BMP are not carried out with procedural fairness, in that prisoners are not notified in advance of any perceived problem with their behaviour, are not therefore given a fair opportunity to respond, and are not given prior warning of a proposed sanction. There have even been cases of reviews without the prisoner being present.

that not only are prisoners in the unit locked down in solitary confinement for most of the time, but they have nothing constructive to do, since no programs or industry activities are available to them. The principal distraction is television. This circumstance is not humane, and does not meet standards adopted in the United Kingdom or standards promulgated by the Inspector of Custodial Services in WA, which in my view are indicative of proper practice.

In 2010, Mick Palmer, a former Commissioner of the Australian Federal Police , was requested by the Minister for Corrections and Consumer Protection, Nick McKim to undertake an inquiry into the Risdon Prison Complex, with the intention of providing the Government of Tasmania with impartial, objective and accurate advice on the complex's operations. Amongst his findings and recommendations, in 2011 Palmer commented that: [12]

...there is currently a lack of clear and decisive leadership within the TPS [Tasmanian Prison Service] and RPC [Risdon Prison Complex]. Further, there is a high level of distrust between management and staff, where operational practices have served to cause staff to withdraw from interaction with prisoners, compounding into excessive lockdowns (particularly of maximum security rated prisoners) and, overall, to apply what can only be described as little more than containment policy across the prison as a whole.

One of the outcomes of the Palmer Report was the employment of a prison administrator and a prison inspector to help rid the prison of serious cultural problems. [13]

In 1967, a fire started by prisoners had almost destroyed the workshop complex. The building had used a great deal of timber in its construction and no fire protection system had been installed. It was rebuilt with prison labour at a cost of A$300,000. [3]

During a four-month period in 1999 and 2000, five men died while imprisoned at Risdon. An investigative media report by the ABC Four Corners program highlighted that there have been at least 18 deaths in custody at Risdon in 12 years, the findings of the coronial inquiry, and the failure of successive governments to address problems at the centre. [14]

During the 2001 coronial inquiry, it was recommended that young inmates should not be housed with sex offenders. In spite of this recommendation, in 2004 it was reported that young inmates were often sharing accommodation and shower facilities with convicted child sex offenders. [15]

On 7 May 2005, male prisoners took prison officer Kenneth Hannah and several other inmates hostage to protest against poor conditions, demanding the resignation of Tasmanian Attorney-General Judy Jackson and the public servant in charge of prisons. The siege ended on 9 May 2005.

On 16 April 2006, Easter Sunday, prisoners took keys from a female prison officer and a 20-hour siege ensued, ending the next day. The ostensible reason for the action was the quality of food served to inmates.

Some within the community argue that the current facility, programs and management of prisoners are actually counter productive in promoting rehabilitation of criminals or reducing crime. [16]

In 2015, Robin Michael, a health official took his own life in the jail. He had allegedly murdered his wife a few days earlier. [17]

• Andy Muirhead (1975–) – TV and radio presenter [18]
• Mark Brandon "Chopper" Read (1954–2013) [14]   – Notorious criminal and author (Imprisoned in Risdon Prison until 1998 and was imprisoned in Victoria for separate charges)
• Martin Bryant [14]   – Gunman responsible for the Port Arthur massacre that killed 35 on 28–29 April 1996
• Rory Jack Thompson (1942–1999)   – Australian CSIRO scientist and convicted murderer
• Randall Ludlow Askeland (1947–?)   – Launceston lawyer, stamp collector, and notorious wife murderer [19] [20] [21] [22]
• Wayne William Howlett (1980– ) – powerlifter
• Edmund Rouse (1926–2002) – ENT chairman convicted of bribery
• Peter James Barrett ( c.   1973 – )   – of Hobart, former plumber jailed for 2 years in 2002 after a conviction for processing $4 million worth of illegal abalone and falsifying records. Barrett and some other men smuggled dried abalone out of Tasmania to buyers in Queensland and China. Caught by Tasmania Police's Operation Oakum. [23] [24]
• Robin Michael, a senior South Australia health official who allegedly murdered his wife. The official took his own life while he was an inmate in 2015. [25]

Related Research Articles

HM Prison Barwon or informally Barwon Prison , an Australian high risk and maximum security prison for males, is located 6 kilometres (3.7 mi) from the township of Lara, near Geelong, Victoria, Australia. The facility is operated by Corrections Victoria. The prison provides accommodation and services for remand and sentenced prisoners detained under Victorian and Federal legislation.

The Long Bay Correctional Complex , commonly called Long Bay , is a correctional facility comprising a heritage-listed maximum and minimum security prison for males and females and a hospital to treat prisoners, psychiatric cases and remandees, located in Malabar, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. The complex is located approximately 14 kilometres (8.7 mi) south of the Sydney CBD and is contained within a 32-hectare (79-acre) site. The facility is operated by Corrective Services New South Wales, a department administered by the Government of New South Wales.

Hayes Prison Farm , a former Australian minimum security prison for males, was established on land at Hayes, near New Norfolk, Tasmania. The facility was operated by the Tasmanian Prison Service, an agency of the Department of Justice of the Government of Tasmania. Located on 800 hectares, the facility accepted felons convicted under Tasmanian and/or Commonwealth legislation. The facility was closed in late 2012.

Parklea Correctional Centre , a privately managed Australian maximum and minimum security prison for males, is located at Parklea, in the north-western suburbs of Sydney, New South Wales. The facility is operated by MTC Ventia and has a current capacity for 1,350 inmates. The Centre accepts prisoners charged and convicted under New South Wales and/or Commonwealth legislation and incorporates a minimum-security work-release centre for inmates nearing release with a capacity of 120. A Compulsory Drug Treatment Correctional unit is incorporated within the centre.

The Goulburn Correctional Centre , is an Australian supermaximum security prison for males. It is located in Goulburn, New South Wales, three kilometres north-east of the central business district. The facility is operated by Corrective Services NSW. The Complex accepts prisoners charged and convicted under New South Wales and/or Commonwealth legislation and serves as a reception prison for Southern New South Wales, and, in some cases, for inmates from the Australian Capital Territory.

The Hobart Reception Centre , formerly the Hobart Remand Centre , an Australian maximum security prison for male and female inmates held on remand, is located in Hobart, Tasmania. The facility is operated by the Tasmanian Prison Service, an agency of the Department of Justice of the Government of Tasmania. The facility accepts felons charged under Tasmanian and/or Commonwealth legislation pending legal proceedings; and also detains convicted felons, pending their classification and placement at other correctional facilities in Tasmania.

Mary Hutchinson Women's Prison , formerly Risdon Women's Prison , an Australian minimum to maximum security prison for females, is located in Risdon Vale, Tasmania. The facility is operated by the Tasmanian Prison Service, an agency of the Department of Justice of the Government of Tasmania. The facility accepts felons convicted under Tasmanian and/or Commonwealth legislation.

H.M. Gaol Hobart or Campbell Street Gaol , a former Australian maximum security prison for males and females, was located in Hobart, Tasmania. Built by convict labour, the gaol operated between 1821 until the early 1960s. In 1961, male inmates were transferred to the H.M. Risdon Prison and in 1963, female inmates were transferred to the Risdon Women's Prison.

The Silverwater Correctional Complex , an Australian maximum and minimum security prison complex for males and females, is located in Silverwater, 21 km (13 mi) west of the Sydney central business district in New South Wales, Australia. The complex is operated by Corrective Services NSW, an agency of the New South Wales Government Department of Communities and Justice.

Launceston Reception Centre , formerly the Launceston Remand Centre , an Australian maximum security prison for male and female inmates held on remand, is located in Launceston, Tasmania. The facility is operated by the Tasmanian Prison Service, an agency of the Department of Justice of the Government of Tasmania. The facility accepts felons charged under Tasmanian and/or Commonwealth legislation pending legal proceedings; and also detains convicted felons, pending their classification and placement at other correctional facilities in Tasmania.

A super-maximum security ( supermax ) or administrative maximum ( ADX ) prison is a "control-unit" prison, or a unit within prisons, which represents the most secure level of custody in the prison systems of certain countries.

Massachusetts Correctional Institution – Shirley is a medium-security state prison in Shirley, Massachusetts. The facility also contains a minimum-security section which houses less dangerous prisoners. MCI-Shirley maintains 13 inmate housing units, a 28-bed full-service hospital unit, a 59-bed segregation unit, gym, recreation areas, school, industries, laundry, vocational area, and food services/programs. This facility is under the jurisdiction of the Massachusetts Department of Correction. It is located directly to the north of the Souza-Baranowski Correctional Center, a maximum-security facility in the town of Lancaster. On January 6, 2020 there was 992 Medium and 269 minimum inmates in general population beds.

The Monroe Correctional Complex is a Washington State Department of Corrections men's prison located in Monroe, Washington, United States. With a bed capacity of over 3,100, it is the second largest prison in the state.

The Alexander Maconochie Centre is an Australian prison in the Australian Capital Territory, which detains maximum security, minimum security and remand inmates, both male and female. It is located in Hume, Australian Capital Territory. The facility is operated by ACT Corrective Services, an agency of the Government of the Australian Capital Territory. The facility accepts remandees charged under Territory and/or Commonwealth legislation pending legal proceedings; and also detains convicted offenders who are sentenced to full-time imprisonment.

Green River Correctional Complex is a state prison located in Central City, Kentucky. It opened in 1994 and had a prison population of 982 as of 2007.

The Ionia Correctional Facility ( ICF ), also known as " I-Max " after its maximum security housing units, is a U.S. state prison located in Ionia, Michigan.

Lowell Correctional Institution is a women's prison in unincorporated Marion County, Florida, north of Ocala, in the unincorporated area of Lowell. A part of the Florida Department of Corrections, it serves as the primary prison for women in the state. Almost 3,000 women are incarcerated in the complex, which includes the Lowell Annex . As of 2015 2,696 women are in the main Lowell CI, making it the largest prison for women in the United States; its prison population became larger than that of the Central California Women's Facility that year.

Bowden Institution is a medium security prison operated by Correctional Services Canada. It was built on an "open campus" model. In an adjoining minimum security annex prisoners live in ordinary houses.

Aaqqigiarvik Correctional Healing Facility is a minimum to maximum security correctional facility in Iqaluit, Nunavut, Canada. It is the largest correctional facility in the territory. During the construction phase the temporary name was Qikiqtani Correctional Healing Centre.

• ↑ "Tasmanian correctional facilities" . Australian correctional agencies and facilities . Australian Institute of Criminology. 30 June 2009 . Retrieved 27 April 2012 .
• 1 2 3 4 5 "100 years of the prison service" . Tasmanian Year Book, 2000 . Australian Bureau of Statistics. 22 April 2004 . Retrieved 27 April 2012 .
• ↑ "Prisons" . The Companion to Tasmanian History . Centre for Tasmanian Historical Studies, University of Tasmania. 2006 . Retrieved 28 April 2012 .
• 1 2 3 4 "Correctional Services and Sentencing in Tasmania" (PDF) . Legislative Council Select Committee . Parliament of Tasmania. 3 September 1999. Archived from the original (PDF) on 25 November 2022 . Retrieved 27 April 2012 .
• ↑ "Lewis, Brian Bannatyne (1906–1991)" . Brian Bannatyne Lewis . National Centre of Biography, Australian National University . Retrieved 29 September 2016 .
• 1 2 "Mens prison" . Prisons Infrastructure Redevelopment Program . Department of Justice. 4 September 2009 . Retrieved 29 April 2012 .
• 1 2 Allston, Simon (24 June 2010). Risdon Prison Complex: Tamar Unit and Behaviour Management Program (PDF) . Vol.   2. Tasmania: Office of the Ombudsman . Retrieved 28 April 2012 .
• ↑ "Wilfred Lopes Centre" . Tasmania: Department of Health and Human Services. 2006 . Retrieved 29 April 2012 .
• ↑ O'Grady, Janine (June 2001). Report on an Inquiry into Risdon Prison (PDF) . Vol.   2. Tasmania: Office of the Ombudsman. p.   3. ISBN   0-7246-8008-X . Retrieved 28 April 2012 .
• ↑ Tennent, S. (26 March 2001). Findings: Deaths in Custody Inquest (Douglas, Holmes, Newman, Santos, Long) (PDF) . Magistrates Court of Tasmania. pp.   17, 51, 64, 89, 137 . Retrieved 28 April 2012 .
• ↑ Palmer, Mick (30 March 2011). Risdon Prison Complex Inquiry (PDF) . Vol.   1. Government of Tasmania. p.   9 . Retrieved 28 April 2012 .
• ↑ Edwards, Zoe; Markham, Brad (15 June 2011). "Damning report into Risdon Prison" . 936 ABC Hobart . Australia . Retrieved 29 April 2012 .
• 1 2 3 McDonell, Stephen (7 May 2001). "No Safe Place" (transcript) . Four Corners . Australia: ABCTV . Retrieved 28 April 2012 .
• ↑ Guest, Annie (25 June 2004). "Assaults alleged in Tasmanian prisons" (transcript) . The World Today . Australia: ABC Radio . Retrieved 28 April 2012 .
• ↑ Cameron Scott "Risdon Prison is No Place for Reahbilitation" . Tasmanian Times . 3 April 2020 . Retrieved 29 April 2020 .
• ↑ "Alleged SA wife-killer takes own life" . The Advertiser . 29 June 2015.
• ↑ "The hidden Muirhead" . October 2012.
• ↑ "Lawyer guilty of murder" . The Canberra Times . 12 March 1983.
• ↑ https://catalogue.lawlibrary.tas.gov.au/Judgments/1983/1983A_11.pdf [ bare URL PDF ]
• ↑ https://catalogue.lawlibrary.tas.gov.au/Judgments/1983/1983A_21.pdf [ bare URL PDF ]
• ↑ https://catalogue.lawlibrary.tas.gov.au/Judgments/1983/1983A_59.pdf [ bare URL PDF ]
• ↑ "Diver admits abalone scam (Australia)" . diver.net .
• ↑ https://catalogue.lawlibrary.tas.gov.au/#record/12102
• ↑ "South Australian man Robin Michael, charged with murdering his wife in Tasmania, takes his own life in custody" .
• Tasmania Prison Service contact details
• Tasmanian Audit Office – Risdon Prison business case, June 2007

She endured a traumatic cavity search when visiting a California prison. Now she won a $5.6-million settlement

• Copy Link URL Copied!

When Christina Cardenas visited her husband in 2019 at the California Correctional Institution in Tehachapi, she was forced to undergo a traumatic, hours-long cavity search that involved her stripping, being X-rayed and squatting over a mirror, she said.

On Monday, Cardenas’ attorneys announced a $5.6-million settlement of a lawsuit filed against the prison and the hospital system that supervised the search.

“There’s no recompense that can fully heal the pain caused by the sexual violation,” Cardenas said at a news conference Monday.

The Times generally does not publish the names of sexual assault victims unless they come forward publicly.

The ordeal began on a September morning in 2019 when she said she drove four hours to visit her husband, Carlos Eugene Cardenas, who is in prison in Tehachapi for armed robbery.

The conduct of the officials who searched her for contraband over the next several hours amounted to “state sanctioned torture,” according to a statement by attorney Gloria Allred, whose firm represented Cardenas.

Officers informed Cardenas that they had a search warrant and would be conducting a strip search, according to the lawsuit Allred brought against the California Correctional Institute, Adventist Medical Center Tehachapi and 10 other defendants.

As officers informed her of the intent to search her and her belongings, Cardenas began to cry, the lawsuit said.

“Oh wipe away your tears! You know what you and your husband have been doing!” an officer told her, according to the lawsuit.

“Don’t tell me to wipe away my tears, I am innocent, and what you are saying to me is inappropriate,” Cardenas replied.

Widespread sexual abuse of women in two California prisons draws federal investigation

The Department of Justice is investigating allegations of rape, groping and sexual harrassment by correctional officials in California women’s prisons.

Sept. 4, 2024

Officers then made Cardenas take off her clothes and “squat over a mirror placed on the ground and cough,” the lawsuit said, then to “squat wider apart and to spread her genitalia.” They found no contraband.

Cardenas was then handcuffed and taken to Adventist Medical Center Tehachapi, arriving around 9:45 a.m.

A doctor at the medical center “unlawfully forced Christina to complete a pregnancy test,” then asked about her medical history, “including personal women’s health history and mental health,” the lawsuit said.

She was denied water and food and had to urinate in a pan instead of being allowed to use a restroom, the lawsuit said. She was imaged by X-ray; the images showed no contraband.

The search warrant explicitly stated that without Cardenas’ consent, a body cavity search could be conducted only after X-ray confirmation of a suspected foreign object within her. She did not consent, the lawsuit alleged, but the search happened anyway.

As Cardenas protested, the male doctor engaged in “unwanted and forceful penetration of Christina’s vagina and anus” using a “grabbing motion” with his fingers, according to the lawsuit.

Officers then brought her back to the prison and told her that she would not be able to see her husband. Her visit had been canceled.

The California Correctional Institution and Adventist Health did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

San José to pay record settlement of $12 million to man exonerated in 2002 gang shooting

Lionel Rubalcava, exonerated and freed after serving 17 years in prison, has settled a federal lawsuit against the city for a record $12 million.

June 18, 2024

In response to the lawsuit, the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation agreed to distribute a memo to its staff instructing them to be “more protective” of visitors undergoing body cavity searches.

The initial filing had sought an injunction to stop the practice of body cavity searches of female visitors entirely, but that was not part of the settlement agreement detailed Monday.

Cardenas said she filed the suit “to ensure that others do not have to endure the same egregious offenses that I experienced,” she said.

She emphasized that corrections officers should “treat visitors not as criminals, but with humanity,” adding that she hoped she could be a “beacon” for other families of incarcerated people.

“It is crucial not to criminalize or victimize those who are visiting and supporting true rehabilitation,” Cardenas said, wiping away her tears.

More to Read

California will pay $350,000 to settle sexual harassment suit against Treasurer Fiona Ma

Aug. 30, 2024

L.A. sheriff’s deputy sentenced to probation for assault on woman with mental disability

Aug. 19, 2024

L.A. jury orders Alki David to pay $900 million in sexual assault suit

June 19, 2024

Sign up for Essential California

The most important California stories and recommendations in your inbox every morning.

You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times.

Terry Castleman is a data reporter on the Fast Break Desk covering breaking news. In 2020, he was named alongside his colleagues as a Pulitzer Prize finalist in explanatory reporting . Previously, he worked at the New York Times and volunteered as a first responder for refugees arriving on the shores of Lesvos.

More From the Los Angeles Times

As weather conditions improve, firefighters make progress battling Southern California wildfires

Hollywood Inc.

DirecTV and Disney reach deal to end ESPN, ABC blackout

Sept. 14, 2024

California man arrested after allegedly kicking, trying to choke flight attendants

The Airport fire destroyed his home. Did help arrive on time?

Most read in california.

Compton business owners say they lost thousands of dollars when Kendrick Lamar shot the ‘Not Like Us’ video in his hometown

Multiple arrests are made in evacuated SoCal neighborhoods. Pair of suspects also has opossums

Sept. 12, 2024

‘It was Armageddon-like’: Mount Baldy Village united to save their town from Bridge fire

Cedars-Sinai terminates OB-GYN’s hospital privileges after complaint investigation

Advertisement

Gray walls, books and a Lenin monument: A look inside the lockup where Griner has been held.

At least one other well-known foreigner has spent time there: Naama Issachar, the Israeli-American arrested in April 2019 when the Russian police said they had found marijuana in her luggage.

• Share full article

By Anton Troianovski and Ivan Nechepurenko

• July 1, 2022

The detention facility just outside Moscow where Brittney Griner , the American basketball star, has been held is a former orphanage rebuilt a decade ago to house women jailed before trial and, separately, women serving their prison sentences.

Its artificially lit, gray painted halls and grim tall walls befit its bureaucratic name: Correctional Colony No. 1, or IK-1.

Thousands of Russian women have passed through it, along with at least one other well-known foreigner: Naama Issachar , the Israeli-American arrested in April 2019 when the Russian police said they had found a third of an ounce of marijuana in her luggage as she was connecting at a Moscow airport.

Ms. Issachar was sentenced to seven and a half years in prison on drug possession and smuggling charges before President Vladimir V. Putin pardoned her , 10 months after she was first arrested, as she became a political pawn in the complex relationship between Russia and Israel.

In jail, Ms. Issachar told her mother: “The clouds in Moscow are pretty.”

It was all she could see of the outside world.

Now it is Ms. Griner, also held on drug charges, who is a pawn — American officials call her a hostage of the Kremlin — but the geopolitics at stake, amid the war in Ukraine and Mr. Putin’s showdown with the West, are far more fraught.

In a telephone interview from Israel, Ms. Issachar’s mother, Yaffa Issachar, said that her daughter had cried when she heard about Ms. Griner’s case, telling her: “I know what she’s going through now.”

The mother said that Ms. Issachar had been treated relatively well by her cellmates, but that she feared that Ms. Griner, as a gay woman, could be treated worse because of Russia’s conservative attitudes and restrictive laws surrounding homosexuality.

Yaffa Issachar said her daughter had been moved through three Russian detention facilities, including three months in the one where Ms. Griner is expected to stay through the duration of her trial, which started on Friday. It is in the village of Novoye Grishino, a 50-mile drive from central Moscow.

The Russian authorities have not disclosed Ms. Griner’s whereabouts. The New York Times was able to identify the prison from a photograph published online by a visitor, and the location was confirmed by a person familiar with the case. Ms. Griner has been held in the pretrial detention center of the facility, which also includes a larger penal colony for women serving out their sentences, with its own sewing factory and Russian Orthodox church.

Video footage of the prison available online shows tall, gray walls, old prison bars and a rusty monument to Lenin in the courtyard. Ms. Issachar, who was allowed to visit her daughter twice a month, also remembers the Lenin monument — along with the din of barking prison dogs that, she said, were being trained in the yard.

For Ms. Griner, every day in the facility looks pretty much the same, said Yekaterina Kalugina, a journalist and member of a public prison monitoring group who has visited Ms. Griner in the prison.

The inmates wake up, have breakfast in their cell — usually some basic food — and then go for a walk in the prison’s courtyard, which is covered by a net. The rest of the day is filled with reading books — Ms. Griner has been reading Dostoyevsky in translation, for instance — and watching television, though all of the channels are in Russian, Ms. Kalugina said.

The cell has a separate private washroom, she said, something of a novelty for Russian prisons. Inmates can order food online and use a refrigerator in the cell for groceries. They are allowed to take a shower only twice a week.

Ms. Issachar said it would take as long as four hours to complete the paperwork to enter the prison, with all of the food she was bringing in painstakingly inspected — down to the tea bags, which had to be cut open, their contents emptied into a plastic bag.

She could see her daughter only through glass, and talk to her only through a telephone. She said that her daughter had been allowed weekly visits by a rabbi, who would pass letters between them; under prison regulations, the rabbi was allowed to be in the same room as the inmate.

The isolation for her daughter was severe, Ms. Ishaffar said. “Mommy, the fall started,” she recalled her daughter telling her at one point. “I see the leaves coming down.”

Ms. Ishaffar suggested that Ms. Griner’s family find a priest who could visit her.

“There is somebody watching them,” she said, “but at least it’s a human she can talk to.”

Isabel Kershner contributed reporting.

Anton Troianovski is the Moscow bureau chief for The New York Times. He was previously Moscow bureau chief of The Washington Post and spent nine years with The Wall Street Journal in Berlin and New York. More about Anton Troianovski

Ivan Nechepurenko has been a reporter with the Moscow bureau since 2015, covering politics, economics, sports, and culture in Russia and the former Soviet republics. He was raised in St. Petersburg, Russia, and in Piatykhatky, Ukraine. More about Ivan Nechepurenko