Dr Cooper’s report highlights the complexities of prison rehabilitation are exacerbated in the AMC due to it being a multi-purpose prison.

Unlike many other prisons in Australia, it has male and female detainees, houses remanded and sentenced detainees, and it is an all-offences and all-security classifications prison. Its small size and the small ACT jurisdiction create detainee association issues.

“While there have been improvements in management practices that contribute to a healthier context for rehabilitating detainees there are areas where management attention needs to focus. These include improving rehabilitation planning and some management practices.” Maxine said.

“The proposed levels of rehabilitation activities and services, as anticipated in planning (prior to the opening of the AMC), have not been achieved.

“The Government has stated it is important for rehabilitation that detainees have a ‘structured day’ with ‘purposeful activity’. This is not being achieved for many detainees. Some are likely to be bored and this can compromise their rehabilitation.

“It has been found that data is not being collected on detainees with physical disabilities, intellectual disabilities or those from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds.

“Data needs to be collected on these groups so that it can be used in identifying suitable rehabilitation support. Data is collected on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples who are provided with additional support.

The audit finds that information management systems at the AMC are important but inadequate.

“Improvements are being undertaken but these need to be done as quickly as possible”

Ten recommendations are made to assist in providing rehabilitative support to detainees.

One recommendation calls for the role of commercial or business enterprises (prison industries) in the AMC to be clarified.

“It is recognized that having prison industries at the AMC may be more challenging to achieve in the ACT context than in other larger prisons in bigger jurisdictions”

UPDATE: Shane Rattenbury has responded:

Minister for Justice, Shane Rattenbury, has welcomed the Auditor-Generals report on the audit of The rehabilitation of male detainees at the Alexander Maconochie Centre (AMC), which makes a number of recommendations to improve delivery of rehabilitation programs within the AMC.

“I welcome the acknowledgement from the Auditor-General that there have been some improvements in management practices that contribute to improved rehabilitation services in the AMC,” said Mr Rattenbury.

“However I also acknowledge there is a need for improvement in the delivery of programs and intend to use the recommendations in the report as the basis for continued improvement.

“The report recognises the complexities in providing rehabilitative services particularly within the AMC, given its combination of both female and male detainees as well as remand and sentenced detainees, and a mix of classifications.

“The Audit Office has identified 10 recommendations which it considers necessary to improve the delivery of rehabilitation to detainees in the AMC. Work is already underway in a number of areas referenced within the recommendations.

“An examination of industries options (Recommendation 2) has commenced which has included a visit in November 2014 by the Minister and Corrections officials to prison industries facilities in NSW.

“A long-term project to improve ACT Corrective Services information management systems (Recommendation 8 and relevant to Recommendations 3(c), 4(a), 6(c) and 9(c)) is also underway.

“The report has raised some concerns in relation to case management and rehabilitation program management in the AMC. It has identified some gaps in case management framework as a potential weakness in effective delivery of rehabilitation.

“I will be exploring these concerns with Corrective Services to ensure we are proving the best possible rehabilitation opportunities for detainees in what are clearly challenging circumscribes due to the increased population pressures and separation issues.

“The Government welcomes the Auditor-General’s attention to these issues and I am always interested in where Government service delivery can be improved.

“The Government will actively consider the Auditor-General’s recommendations and provide a full response in due course,” Mr Rattenbury said.