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Healthy Prison Report

The Office of the Chief Inspector was established in July 2005 as an added layer of transparency and accountability. The office conducts inspections and reviews at every correctional facility in the state to ensure that correctional facilities are operated safely and efficiently.

These inspections and reviews are based on the concept of a healthy prison which was first set out by the World Health Organisation (WHO). These standards have been adapted to Queensland and the standards are regularly updated. The WHO standards are accepted internationally as the benchmark for custodial environments.

It rests upon four key tests:

Safety: Prisoners, even the most vulnerable, are held safely.
Respect: Prisoners are treated with respect for their human dignity.
Purposeful activity: Prisoners are able, and expected, to engage in activity that is likely to benefit them.
Resettlement: Prisoners are prepared for release into the community, and helped to reduce the likelihood of re-offending.

Correctional centres are measured against these outcomes:

  1. Appropriate steps are taken to ensure that individual prisoners are protected from harm by themselves and others.
  2. Prisoners are treated with respect for their dignity while being escorted to and from prison, in prison and while under escort in any location.
  3. Prisoners are held in conditions that provide the basic necessities of life and health, including adequate air, light, water, exercise in the fresh air, food, bedding and clothing.
  4. Prisoners are treated with respect by centre staff.
  5. Good contact with family and friends is maintained.
  6. Prisoners' entitlements are accorded them in all circumstances without their facing difficulty.
  7. Prisoners take part in activities that educate, develop skills and personal qualities and prepare them for life outside prison.
  8. Health care is provided to the same standard as in the community.
  9. Appropriate steps are taken to ensure that prisoners are reintegrated safely into the community and where possible into a situation less likely to lead to their further involvement in crime.

Inspection Standards

The Healthy Prison Handbook set out a number of detailed standards of performance required of correctional centres and outlines the inspection process employed by the Office of the Chief Inspector in applying the "Healthy Prison Test".

The standards are used to assess each correctional centre's performance against the Test. They are grouped according to specific areas of a centre's operations which contribute in some way towards one or more of the outcomes listed above - for example, 'Arrival in custody', 'Duty of care', 'Good order', 'Activities' and 'Resettlement'.

Measuring Performance

Areas and outcomes

A ratings system is applied to each area and outcome.

Rating Description
1 Performing well against the inspection criteria. There is no evidence that outcomes for prisoners are being adversely affected in any significant areas.
2 Performing reasonably well against the inspection criteria. There is some evidence of adverse outcomes for prisoners in only a small number of areas however there are no significant concerns.
3 Not performing sufficiently well against the inspection criteria. There is evidence that outcomes for prisoners are being adversely affected in many areas or particularly in those areas of greatest importance to the well being of prisoners. Problems / concerns, if left unattended, are likely to become areas of serious concern.
4 Performing poorly against the inspection criteria. There is evidence that outcomes for prisoners are seriously affected by current practice. There is a failure to ensure even adequate treatment of and / or conditions for prisoners. Immediate remedial action is required.

Whole of Centre Performance

The results for each area and outcome are then used to determine a "whole of centre" rating:

Rating Description
1 The centre is performing strongly against the Healthy Prison Test. There is strong performance across all areas / outcomes. Weaknesses, if any, are considered minor.
2 The centre is performing well against the Healthy Prison Test. There is good performance across most areas / outcomes. There are some weaknesses but either they are not considered significant or if they are significant, they exist only in a small number of areas.
3 The centre is not performing sufficiently well against the Healthy Prison Test. There is below standard performance across several areas / outcomes and significant weaknesses exist across several key areas. If left unattended, they are likely to become areas of serious concern.
4 The centre is performing poorly against the Healthy Prison Test. There is poor performance across most areas / outcomes. There are many significant weaknesses. There is inadequate treatment of and / or conditions for prisoners. Immediate remedial action is required.

Recommendations: Risk Ratings and Responsibility

Recommendations are given a high, medium or low level of priority.. The implementation of high and medium priority recommendations is monitored by the Office of the Chief Inspector via its program of follow-up inspections.

Low priority recommendations are considered "housekeeping" issues, and the centre's General Manager is responsible for implementing these at the local level.

Priority Description Responsibility
High Represents a major risk that if not resolved it will have a significant adverse impact on outcomes for prisoners. Where practicable, requires immediate remedial action. Directorate/Centre. Chief Inspector to monitor implementation via a follow-up inspection process.
Medium Represents a moderate risk that if not resolved it has the potential to have a significant adverse impact on outcomes for prisoners. Where practicable, requires remedial action in the short to medium term (i.e. within 3-6 months). Directorate/Centre. Chief Inspector to monitor implementation via a follow-up inspection process.
Low Represents a minor risk that if left unresolved it may have an adverse impact on outcomes for prisoners. Requires remedial action in the longer term (i.e. within 6-12 months) Centre. General Manager to implement. Not subject to monitoring by the Chief Inspector.

Full Announced and Follow-up Inspection Reports

Copies of full-announced and follow-up inspection conducted by the Office of the Chief Inspector reports have been made available. Some information has been edited because the disclosure of such information may impact on the privacy of an individual, jeopardise the security or order of a corrective facility.

Correctional Centre Full Announced Inspection
Report and Year 		Follow-Up Inspection
Report and Year 		Next Full Announced
Inspection
Arthur Gorrie Correctional Centre 2012 Full Report (Arthur Gorrie CC) (PDF 665KB) Due to be conducted in 2013 n/a
Borallon Correctional Centre 2009 Full Report (Borallon CC) (PDF 562KB) 2010 - Follow up report (Borallon CC) (PDF 266KB) 2012
Brisbane Correctional Centre (Men's) 2009 Full Report (Brisbane CC) (PDF 602KB) 2010 - Follow up report (BCC) (PDF 262KB) 2012
Brisbane Women's Correctional Centre 2010 Full Report (Brisbane Women's CC) (PDF 525KB) 2011 - Follow up report (BWCC) (PDF 331KB) 2013
Capricornia Correctional Centre 2009 Full Report (Capricornia CC) (PDF 470KB) 2011 - Follow up report (CCC) (PDF 302KB) 2012
Darling Downs Correctional Centre 2010 Full Report (Darling Downs CC) (PDF 602KB) 2011 - Follow up report (DDCC) (PDF 220KB) 2013
Lotus Glen Correctional Centre 2011 Full Report (Lotus Glen CC) (PDF 723KB) n/a 2014
Maryborough Correctional Centre 2010 Full Report (Maryborough CC) (PDF 461KB) 2011 - Follow up report (MCC) (PDF 263KB) 2013
Numinbah (Men's) Correctional Centre 2011 Full Report (Numinbah CC - Men's) (PDF 553KB) n/a 2014
Numinbah (Women's) 2011 Full Report (Numinbah CC - Women's) (PDF 510KB) n/a 2014
Palen Creek Correctional Centre 2009 Full Report (Palen Creek CC) (PDF 407KB) 2010 - Follow up report (PCCC) (PDF 243KB) 2012
Townsville Correctional Centre (Men's) 2009 Full Report (Townsville CC - Mens) (PDF 493KB) 2010 - Follow up report (TCC - Mens) (PDF 331KB) 2012
Townsville Correctional Centre (Women's) 2010 Full Report (Townsville CC - Women's) (PDF 521KB) 2010 - Follow up report (TCC - Women's) (PDF 302KB) 2013
Wolston Correctional Centre 2009 Full Report (Wolston CC) (PDF 588KB) 2010 - Follow up report (Wolston CC) (PDF 265KB) 2012
Woodford Correctional Centre 2010 Full Report (Woodford CC) (PDF 479KB) 2011 - Follow up report (Woodford CC) (PDF 245KB) 2013




Last updated: 13 February 2013