Corrections Minister Chris Bourke brings word that he’s implementing the Hamburger reports:
The Corrections and Sentencing Legislation Amendment Bill introduced today amends the legislation so that ACT Corrective Services can deal with detainee discipline more effectively while providing detainees with additional options to review any alleged breaches of the process.
Amendments include:
· Simplifying steps in the discipline review process to allow for more timely decision making, while still retaining procedural fairness for detainees;
· clarification of the Sentence Administration Board’s power to give retrospective approval not to perform periodic detention in certain circumstances;
· giving the chair of the Sentence Administration Board more flexibility in organising the business of the board; and
· ensuring that offenders who fail to attend for periodic detention cannot take advantage of credit provisions for Christmas and Easter holidays.“The Hamburger Review highlighted concerns of stakeholders that the detainee disciplinary process was too complex, leading to frustration for staff, detainees and legal practitioners.