The Association has been advised as of today Monday 21 September 2020, that restrictions will be eased in a number of Correctional Centres and Community Corrections offices.
Below is an outline of what that means for each centre in terms of issues most relevant to you such as professional visits and prisoners' attendance at Courts.
STAGE 1 RESTRICTIONS
- Lotus Glen CC (including low custody)
- Townsville CC (Mens, Womens and low custody)
- Capricornia CC (including low custody)
In person professional visits permitted with all visitors subject to temperature checks and health screening questions upon entry to a correctional centre.
Each centre has a COVID safe plan relating to the facilitation of professional visits.
Where social distancing cannot be achieved between a prisoner and their professional visitor, the centre will provide the visitor and the prisoner with a flat surgical mask which be required to be worn.
A COVID health assessment will be conducted on all prisoners upon reception – prisoners are not required to be isolated unless on QHealth advice (as per the ‘Managing new admissions reception prisoners and COVID-19 isolation’ policy).
STAGE 2 RESTRICTIONS
- Maryborough CC
- Woodford CC
- Helana Jones CC
- Numinbah CC
- Palen Creek CC
In person professional visits permitted with all visitors subject to temperature checks and health screening questions upon entry to a correctional centre.
Each centre has a COVID safe plan relating to the facilitation of professional visits.
The wearing of face masks as approved personal protective equipment is mandatory for all QCS staff or approved visitors to Stage 2 centres.
As per the ‘Managing prisoner receptions’ policy, all new reception prisoners, and any prisoners who leave a centre to attend Court in person will be isolated for 14 days upon their return to QCS custody.
Sentence Management Services will continue to liaise with Court staff to request video link in lieu of personal appearance for all prisoners that this applies to.
Where the Court requires the prisoner to appear in person, this will be facilitated.
For prisoners who are in a period of isolation, they will be unable to attend in person legal visits, but will be provided access to in cell legal telephone calls (to the greatest extent possible), and will be able to attend Court video links.
STAGE 3 RESTRICTIONS
- Arthur Gorrie CC
- Brisbane CC
- Wolston CC
- Brisbane Womens CC
- Southern Qld CC
- Borallon Training CC
- Escort & security Branch (including PAHSU)
In person professional visits suspended.
As per the ‘Managing prisoner receptions’ policy, all new reception prisoners, and any prisoners who leave a centre to attend Court in person will be isolated for 14 days upon their return to QCS custody.
Sentence Management Services will continue to liaise with Court staff to request video link in lieu of personal appearance for all prisoners that this applies to.
Where the Court requires the prisoner to appear in person, this will be facilitated.
For prisoners who are isolated, they will be unable to attend in person legal visits, but will be provided access to in cell legal telephone calls (to the greatest extent possible), and will be able to attend Court video links.
Community Corrections Regions
The latest health advice has also resulted in a relaxation of restrictions in Community Corrections Offices as follows –
Stage 1:
Community Corrections offices in Central, Northern and Far Northern regions
Stage 2:
Southern Region (except Ipswich and Inala) Community Corrections offices
South Coast, Brisbane and North Coast Region Community Corrections offices
Stage 3:
Ipswich and Inala Community Corrections offices.
