When you tell an outsider to Canberra a lot of things about how we run this Territory their jaw tends to start bouncing on the ground.
But one of the harder to believe things is that we decided it would be better for the welfare of our criminal classes to keep them all (male, female, high risk and low risk) in the one facility.
The ABC has a story today on how the official visitor thinks that is working out.
He says a lack of space at the Alexander Maconochie Centre (AMC) means some inmates who need to be separated from other groups are unable to attend programs and activities.
He says the situation in the crisis unit is particularly concerning.
“By law, they must have one hour of exercise so they’re allowed out of their cell. But guess what? They go into a corridor and walk up and down there,” he said.
“There is a tiny, very small area [outside] but it’s kind of meshed and it’s enclosed. I suppose it’s like caged chooks.”
We are, again, thrilled to know this is human rights compliant.