Communities and Justice

Audit of CSNSW cells, programs/education rooms and visits to determine compliance with standards and accessibility

Directorate: Custodial Corrections

Division: Corrective Services NSW

Project summary

The accessibility of custodial facilities are to be reviewed to ensure inmates with disability are able to access to educational and program supports that can improve their life prospects on release.

Focus Area: 

  • Improving access to mainstream services through better systems and processes.

Project objective

Reduce Reoffending - The project will increase the number of offenders engaging in education, programs and potentially employment. It will do this by ensuring offenders can access these locations.

Increase support for offenders with complex needs - A comprehensive review of accessibility spaces within CSNSW Correctional Centre’s will assist with offender placements. Offender mobility needs can be accomodated in appropriate cell placements.

The project will reduce cost in terms of transferring offenders to different correctional centres.

The challenge

One in five people in the community have a disability according to the Australian Government data published on 03 September 2019.

CSNSW has 11.66% of offenders in custody with a disability. This figure may increase as the offender population changes. Correctional Centres currently face challenges in identifying appropriate cell and program/education access.

Visitors to Correctional Centres, face challenges accessing the Correctional Centre. Staff may also experience environmental challenges in some instances. A review of accessibility areas will mitigate these risks.

Why is this important?

The strategy supports an inclusive environment for all offenders.

  • Reduce reoffending by increasing offender access to programs, education and employment.
  • Increase support for offenders with complex needs.
  • Ensure people with disability have equitable access to buildings and facilities.
  • Reduce the cost of transferring offenders between correctional centres by identifying the most appropriate centre.
  • CSNSW conducted a State-wide Review of Accessibility to CSNSW’s Correctional Centres Visits Areas. The results were published in 2019. This will inform this project.

What will success look like?

  • Health and Safety Reps (HSR's) review, cells, programs/education rooms and visits to determine compliance with standards and accessibility.
  • Compile a database with access requirements for each location.
  • Offender Classification - timely, appropriate placements
  • Programs and Education - timely and appropriate placements at goals to facilitate rehabilitation.

How will you measure success?

  • Easily accessible excel spreadsheet/database available to Custodial Corrections, Classification and Specific Needs
  • Accessibility needs for offenders identified
  • Accessibility needs for offenders addressed

Status report

Current Status: Completed

Date: June 2023

Status Notes:

Project initiation

Consultation with RR PMO

Engaged JHFMHN OT

Actions/Planned actions 2021

Engage Justice Infastructure for specifications

In consultation with Custodial Corrections - develop Project Plan and business case. 

Pilot site MSPC and LBH

Phase 2 - Franics Greenway Complex

Activities/evidence/milestones to May 2021

Stakeholder Meeting with Occupational Therapist, Justice Health Forensic Mental Health Network and Project Management Office - November 2020

Liasion with Project Management Office - November 2020 

In development - Project Plan

Stakeholder consultation with Cultural and Lingustic Diverse Manager, Principal Women's Advisor and Manager Aboriginal Strategy and Policy Unit

June 2022

Engaged with DCJ Infrastructure. Stage on of project underway auditing plans and updating naming conventions for consistency

Last updated:

22 Feb 2024