14 May 2017

29-year-old male detainee has died at the Alexander Maconochie Centre

| Emily Morris
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A 29-year-old male detainee has died overnight at the Alexander Maconochie Centre. The death occurred around 8:00 pm yesterday evening (Saturday, 13 May).

No further comment will be made surrounding the circumstances of the death at this stage as ACT Policing Criminal Investigations continue investigations. A report will be prepared for the ACT Coroner.

The man’s next of kin has been notified, but his identity has not be revealed at this stage.

Corrections Minister Shane Rattenbury released a statement overnight. “On behalf of the ACT Government, I would like to express my deepest sympathy to the family and friends of the individual. I understand this will be a difficult time for them and I ask that you respect their privacy.” Mr Rattenbury said.

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Voice of Reason said :

This is awful news and we simply have to demand better from ACT Corrective Services and the Justice Minister Shane Rattenbury.

You can name the jail after a prison reformer, run about claiming to operate a human rights compliant facility, and tell everyone what a great job you’re doing with throughcare … but if you can’t keep prisoners safe, you’re failing your primary objective.

Assuming the Minister isn’t going to walk the plank, the Minister needs to give the next best candidate a tap on the shoulder. Get better advice and get better managers, Minister.

Or, you know, maybe we could wait until we have the actual facts pertaining to the case and then make an informed judgement instead of jumping on the bandwagon with pitchforks at the ready.

Voice of Reason9:41 pm 16 May 17

This is awful news and we simply have to demand better from ACT Corrective Services and the Justice Minister Shane Rattenbury.

You can name the jail after a prison reformer, run about claiming to operate a human rights compliant facility, and tell everyone what a great job you’re doing with throughcare … but if you can’t keep prisoners safe, you’re failing your primary objective.

Assuming the Minister isn’t going to walk the plank, the Minister needs to give the next best candidate a tap on the shoulder. Get better advice and get better managers, Minister.

dungfungus said :

I note the ABC has reported this event also but they refer to the AMC simply as “the Canberra jail”.

Isn’t it time we adopted the same terminology? We all know that that the government of the day were fanatical in ensuring it was to be a “correctional rehab centre” (or something like it) but that strategy has clearly failed given the number of re-offenders that return.

I was impressed by the sign outside the Barwon high security jail in Melbourne as shown on the news recently. It says “HM Prison Barwon”. But I’m sure any suggestion of the Monarchy or describing it as a prison would have our progressive Assembly members aghast with horror.

I note the ABC has reported this event also but they refer to the AMC simply as “the Canberra jail”.

Isn’t it time we adopted the same terminology? We all know that that the government of the day were fanatical in ensuring it was to be a “correctional rehab centre” (or something like it) but that strategy has clearly failed given the number of re-offenders that return.

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