Prisoners - Legal Information Access Centre - NSW Government

any other matter necessary to enable the inmate to
understand the inmate’s rights and obligations and
adapt to living in the centre.
An inmate must surrender all property in their possession
to an authorised officer. Any property belonging to the
inmate brought to the prison by a police officer or
Corrective Services Officer will be handed to the general
manager. The general manager determines which items
of property are suitable for the inmate to have in their
possession. See ‘Property’ below for more detail on what
items inmates may possess.
Case management plans are made as soon as practicable
after the inmate’s arrival, and cover such things as:
> the prisoner’s classification;
> programs in which they are to be encouraged to
participate;
> health services;
> strategies to minimalise the impact of any disability eg
in relation to participation in a work program;
> strategies to minimalise the risk of self harm if that
appears to be likely;
> implementation of the recommendations from the
Report into Aboriginal Deaths in custody where the
inmate is Aboriginal;
> the provision of pre-release and post-release assistance
(such as how to access social services and drug and
alcohol programs).
prisOner clAssificATiOn
Prisoner classification is important because it determines
at which correctional facility an inmate is placed, which
has an effect on the access they have to programs. It
also determines their privileges within the system.
Classification and placement are reviewed every six
months.
When completing the Initial Case Plan form the inmate
is to have explained to him/her the factors that affect his
classification, placement and management:
> convicted/unconvicted;
> protection/not protection;
> nature of offence;
> length of minimum period of custody/and sentence;
> assessed risk/need factors;
> previous criminal record;
> previous custodial history and conduct in custody;
> vacancies in centres.
Where an inmate is identified as ‘public interest’,
‘escapee’ or ‘serious offender’, the implication of these
designations must be fully explained to the inmate,
particularly progression through minimum security to
external leave programs.
Each male inmate is classified in one of the following
categories:
Category AA – inmates who represent a special risk to
national security (for example, because of a perceived
risk that they may engage in, or incite other persons to
engage in, terrorist activities) and should at all times
be confined in special facilities within a secure physical
barrier that includes towers or electronic surveillance
equipment.
Category A1 – inmates who represent a special risk
to good order and security and should at all times be
confined in special facilities within a secure physical
barrier that includes towers or electronic surveillance
equipment.
Category A2 – inmates who should at all times be
confined by a secure physical barrier that includes
towers, other highly secure perimeter structures or
electronic surveillance equipment.
Category B – inmates who should at all times be
confined by a secure physical barrier.
Category C1 – inmates who should be confined
by a physical barrier unless in the company of a
correctional officer or some other person authorised by
the Commissioner.
Category C2 – inmates who need not be confined by
a physical barrier at all times but who need some level
of supervision by a correctional officer or some other
person authorised by the Commissioner.
Category C3 – inmates who need not be confined by
a physical barrier at all times and who need not be
supervised.
Female inmates have similar levels of classification from
Category 5 (special risk to national security) down to
Category 1 (need not be confined by a physical barrier at
all times and who need not be supervised).
Changes to classification can be made by the
Commissioner but some changes, set out in clause 27
of the Crimes (Administration of Sentences) Regulations
2008, must be considered by a Review Council.
sepArATiOn And segregATiOn
Prisoners are divided into the following classes:
> convicted inmates;
> unconvicted inmates;
> civil inmates.
As far as practicable inmates of any class are kept
separate from inmates of any other class. Within each
class, the Commissioner may direct that the following
inmates be kept separate from other inmates:
> those inmates who have not previously been
imprisoned;
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