Mount Gambier Prison

Mount Gambier Prison

Location	Mount Gambier, South Australia
Security class	Caters principally for medium and low security, male sentenced prisoners; can also accommodate short-term high security male and female remandees.
Capacity	139
Opened	1995
Managed by	GSL Custodial Services

Mount Gambier Prison is an Australian prison located in Mount Gambier, South Australia. It is the first prison in South Australia to be privately managed by GSL Custodial Services Pty Ltd (previously Group 4 Corrections Services), the Prison caters principally for medium and low security, male sentenced prisoners; can also accommodate short-term high security male and female remandees to facilitate local Court appearances.

Prisoners have access to a range of accommodation, from a traditional cell block arrangement, to shared and independent living cottages. There is also a small induction area, which houses new prisoners prior to them being allocated suitable cell block accommodation in line with their need, and a small allocation of high security cells which accommodates short-term high security male and female remandees as required.

Increase in capacity

In 2007, to address pressure on the South Australian Custodial Correctional system, the prisons capacity increased from 110 to 139 beds.^[1]

An $18million expansion of the Prison was announced in March 2009 to house an additional 116 new prisoners. New cottage-style accommodation will hold 36 prisoners and 80 beds will be created from a new medium security cell block located on vacant land adjacent to the remaining complex.^[2]

Incidents

In April 2001 a single prisoner became the first to escape the facility by climbing two razor-wire topped fences ^[3]. This is the only escape from within the confines of the prison as of October 2011.

Chief executive of the Department of Correctional Services Peter Severin said in March 2009 that since the Mount Gambier prison was opened in the 1990s, it has been a stable facility with "very few" incidents.^[4]

Mount Gambier Prison in the community

A strong partnership exists between Lifeline South East and the Prison. This relationship began in mid 1995 with Lifeline's involvement in suicide awareness training for new prison staff.

In 1998 prisoners under the instructions of a local builder constructed an education centre within the prison. The work was also attached to a vocational course. This resulted in prisoners learning new skills and obtaining TAFE certificates to assist them upon their release.

In 2005 Mount Gambier Prison's new state-of-the art Control Room was officially commissioned.

References

1. ^ http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2007/11/21/2097160.htm?site=southeastsa
2. ^ http://www.abc.net.au/local/stories/2009/03/03/2506133.htm
3. ^ http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P1-43721975.html
4. ^ http://www.abc.net.au/local/stories/2009/03/03/2506133.htm

• Mount Gambier
• Mount Gambier Prison

Coordinates: 37°51′31″S 140°41′4″E / 37.85861°S 140.68444°E / -37.85861; 140.68444