2016-03-07
PENNICUIK — To ask the Minister for Training and Skills (for the Minister for Corrections): In relation to the 25 per cent increase in the number of women in Victorian prisons in the last 5 years and the factors that lead to incarceration of women such as lack of housing and support services, and backgrounds of abuse: what is Corrections Victoria doing to:
(1) Improve the provision of counselling and mental health support services for women;
(2) Improve access to drug and alcohol programs in prison and post release;
(3) Ensure that secure accommodation is available to women prisoners seeking parole or at the end of their sentence;
(4) What consultation, if any, occurred with female prisoners on the expansion of the Dame Phyllis Frost centre and the upgrade of facilities, particularly with regard to safety and security within the new units;
(5) How will the priority areas within the Corrections Victoria Strategic Plan be actioned and funded with particular reference to the various support services for women; and
(6) Given many female prisoners have backgrounds of physical and/or sexual abuse, what protocols are in place with regard to strip searches.
ANSWER:
I am advised that:
(1) Inpatient forensic mental health services are provided at the Dame Phyllis Frost Centre (DPFC) and outpatient services are available at both DPFC and Tarrengower Prison.
As part of the 2015-16 Budget, funding was secured for a new purpose built 44-bed mental health precinct at the DPFC. This will enable the co-location of existing inpatient mental health services, Marrmak, (funding for which was due to sunset in 2015) and women receiving outpatient care.
The 2015 State Budget also provided $9.5 million to build a new eight-bed high dependency unit to address a critical shortfall in beds at the Thomas Embling Hospital.
Since the forensic mental health services contract commenced in 2012, there has been an 11 per cent increase in mental health nursing hours at DPFC and additional psychiatrist clinic hours at Tarrengower Prison.
In July 2015, a new service delivery model for the delivery of specialist mental health services for women at DPFC was finalised. The new model incorporates a trauma-informed approach, a multi-service response for women with psychotic disorders, and mental health education and training for corrections officers.
(2) Alcohol and other drug (AOD) programs at DPFC and Tarrengower Prison have increased since the new AOD contract commenced on 1 July 2012. Currently there is a total of 3614 hours of AOD program offerings at the DPFC and 1138 hours of AOD program offerings at Tarrengower Prison.
To support the increasing number of prisoners entering prison with ice use histories, a range of new ice-specific treatment programs have commenced.
(3) A new transitional support pathway commenced on 1 January 2015. All women prisoners are eligible for post-release support through this pathway. A key component of the assertive outreach support provided through ReConnect is supporting participants to secure stable accommodation. Additionally, women, particularly those with children in their custody, are prioritised for transitional housing through the Corrections Victoria Housing Program. The Department of Justice and Regulation is working with the Department of Health and Human Services to ensure that housing for exiting prisoners is a component of the broader housing sector reforms in the future.
(4) The Prisoner Liaison Group at the prison meets regularly and is provided with updates on the expansion and upgrades currently taking place.
(5) The 2015 Budget provided funding for a number of projects included in the Corrections Victoria Strategic Plan, including:
– expanding the medical centre and prison industries at DPFC
– significant expansion of DPFC to meet demand for women's prison beds
– constructing a new 44-bed mental health unit at DPFC, to replace the existing 20-bed Marrmak unit
– continuation funding for the Targeted Women's Correctional Response including funding for specialist mental health services and other services, such as sexual assault counselling programs.
(6) Corrections Victoria has specific guidelines for strip searching female prisoners.
Guidelines dictate that all strip searches are to be conducted in as respectful and non-threatening a manner as possible. Searches must be efficient and the least invasive possible, avoiding any unnecessary force, embarrassment or indignity. Officers conducting a strip search should be responsive to the individual prisoner, particularly in relation to issues of culture and previous life experience.
As an alternative to a full strip search, women prisoners at both women's prisons have the option of a 'top-bottom' strip search where only half of the prisoner's clothes are removed at any one time.
Random searches no longer occur, however targeted searches will continue to be used where the safety of prisoners and staff or the security of the prison are thought to have been compromised.