Canberra's flagship prison is operating on borrowed time and money, with new figures revealing it as the most expensive correctional facility in the nation while failing to rehabilitate offenders.
Sky-High Costs and Failing Outcomes
The Alexander Maconochie Centre (AMC) now costs ACT taxpayers a staggering $543.19 per prisoner per day, according to recent data. This equates to almost $200,000 per inmate annually, a figure that dwarfs costs in neighbouring New South Wales, where the yearly expense per prisoner sits at $108,890.
Despite this enormous financial outlay, outcomes at the ACT's prison are dismal. Productivity Commission data shows that 77.2 per cent of people in the ACT's prison in 2022 had been incarcerated before, marking the highest recidivism rate in Australia. In NSW, the comparable figure is about 54 per cent.
The situation is even more dire for Indigenous detainees. Data indicates that 47.2 per cent of Indigenous people released from ACT prisons return to custody within two years.
A System Lacking Scale and Services
Critics argue the fundamental problem is one of scale. As of June 30, 2024, the AMC held 421 prisoners, while NSW managed 12,946. This small size prevents the ACT from running an economically viable, modern corrections system with the necessary classification, separation, and rehabilitation services.
Before the AMC opened, ACT prisoners were housed in NSW facilities, where they could access specialist programs and units that the territory simply cannot provide on its own. The ACT's small prison is now, in effect, recycling the same offenders to a far greater extent than larger state systems.
Growing Calls for a Radical Solution
The conclusion drawn by many observers is unavoidable. In a letter to the editor, C Williams of Forrest stated the Barr government should close the AMC and return to using the NSW prison system, labelling the AMC experiment a failure borne at great expense by ACT taxpayers.
The debate over the AMC's future comes amid broader community discussions captured in a series of letters to the editor. These also covered topics ranging from political commentary on the Prime Minister's wedding to concerns over hidden government reports on aquatic facilities and continued inaction on banning gambling advertising.
Other correspondents criticised Cricket Australia's ethics for accepting betting sponsorship, questioned parliamentary sitting patterns, and called for stronger action on international conflicts. The letters collectively paint a picture of a community engaged on issues of local governance, social policy, and national direction.
However, the soaring cost and poor performance of the territory's prison remain a stark example of a high-cost policy experiment struggling to deliver results for the community funding it.
