Offences Committed in Prison

Contributed by Lorana Bartels and Caroline Doyle. Current to February 2022.

Detainees are entitled to the protection of the law just like everybody else. If a detainee believes that an offence has been committed against them, they should report this to correctional staff, who should contact ACT Policing.

A recent report on the death of an inmate at the AMC (who has been subject to previous alleged assaults) recommended that ACT Policing

• give higher priority to investigating any assault at the AMC
• work with ACTCS and the ACT Director of Public Prosecutions to develop and adopt pro-charge and pro-prosecution policies in relation to assaults at the AMC

In its full response to the report, the ACT Government recognised the importance of ensuring that allegations and incidents of assault within the AMC are fully recorded and investigated.

The ACT Chief Police Officer confirmed that ACT Policing will investigate all serious assaults at the AMC. This means any assault resulting in physical injuries which require medical treatment involving overnight hospitalisation in a medical facility (for example, a prison clinic, infirmary, hospital or a public hospital) or on-going medical treatment related to injuries sustained during the assault. Serious assaults include all sexual assaults.

The contact details for detainees who have been subject to offences in the AMC are:

• Aboriginal Legal Service: 6249 8488
• ACT Human Rights Commission: 6205 2222 or human.rights@act.gov.au or victimsupport@act.gov.au
• ACT Policing: 000 or 131 444
• Legal Aid Prison Service: 02 6243 3431 or civil@legalaidact.org.au
• Official Visitor: 1800 150 036