A report by the ACT auditor-general has found that Canberra's main prison, the Alexander Maconochie Centre (AMC), is not meeting high rehabilitation standards, leaving prisoners bored. The facility, which opened in March 2009, was designed to be Australia's first prison built to meet human rights obligations.
Auditor-General Dr Maxine Cooper's report, focusing on male detainees, revealed limited employment opportunities. Fewer than one in two male detainees is employed, and time spent in work is indeterminate. In 2007, a strategy proposed six hours of scheduled activity per day, five days a week, but this has not been achieved.
Vocational training enrolments declined from 94% of prisoners in September 2011 to 74% in June 2014, with only 72% of those enrolled actually participating. The report states that boredom compromises rehabilitation and that the lack of structured activity is a key issue.
Corrections Minister Shane Rattenbury acknowledged the boredom problem and said he is considering increasing employment opportunities, including industries within the prison. The ACT Government has requested more time to review the report's recommendations.
The report also highlighted high prisoner turnover, with one-third to two-thirds of released prisoners serving less than 30 days, limiting rehabilitation contact time. Overcrowding has further constrained access to rehabilitative activities.
