news, latest-news, ACT jail, prisoners, Christmas
Behind the high, triple chain-link fences at Canberra’s jail, the only major change to the dull, daily routine will be a traditional style of Christmas lunch for more than 400 inmates. The inmates’ day will start with Christmas service for those who wish to attend, and breakfast, followed by a hot lunch. On the menu at lunchtime will be a choice of roast turkey or ham with cranberry sauce, roast vegetables, and plum pudding. Catering support will provide special meals to those prisoners who do not observe a traditional Christmas. Fresh bread and pastries will be provided fresh from the jail’s bakery, where 24 inmates work each shift. Some of the new baked goods produced by the bakery over the past year have included artisan breads (Turkish bread, artisan sourdough, and ciabatta), plus Christmas cookies, croissants and danishes. Corrections officers working on Christmas Day will receive the same meal as the prisoners. No prison visits are permitted on Christmas Day. Dinner on Friday evening will consist of cold meats and salad. More than 336,000 meals are produced each year by the kitchen staff at the Alexander Maconochie Centre. In his Christmas message, the Commissioner for ACT Corrective Services Jon Peach described 2020 as a “challenging year”. “I’m immensely proud of how ACT Corrective Services (ACTCS) staff have responded [to the challenges] and their continued efforts are extremely valued and appreciated,” he said in a statement. “I hope that all staff have a safe and merry festive season, and particularly acknowledge all those staff members who will continue to work throughout the festive period. “I hope that all staff have a safe and merry festive season, and particularly acknowledge all those staff members who will continue to work throughout the festive period.” A book club started up late last year has proved popular with inmates. Books discussed by the club members included A Million Little Pieces, The Handmaid’s Tale, Hemingway’s The Old Man and the Sea and Machiavelli’s The Prince. Shannon Pickles, one of the two independent official visitors appointed by the ACT government to visit the jail on a regular basis and talk to the prisoners about their concerns, said that apart from the special lunch planned, Christmas Day “will be like every other day out there”. “There will be many people out there missing their families and presents and that connection that everyone else gets to enjoy at Christmas time,” he said. During the 2019-2020 reporting year, 762 formal complaints were received by the official visitors from prisoners, a 61 per cent increase on the previous reporting year. Prisoner boredom has been consistently highlighted as a cause for complaint and was also identified as an ongoing issue in the “healthy prisons” report issued by the independent Inspector of Corrections, Neil McAllister, late last year. In his report, a survey of prisoners found that 64 per cent reported being bored “most of the time” due to lack of productive things to do, and 74 per cent reported not being able to exercise for any reason. Unlike many prisons interstate, Canberra’s jail was not designed for significant internal commercial industries where prisoners could find meaningful work and earn money. “It was clear from the survey we conducted that there is a high level of boredom among detainees and a strong desire to engage in meaningful work rather than the menial services jobs,” the report said. “The review team believes that there is a strong case for the AMC to have a modest multi-purpose industries building.”
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Behind the high, triple chain-link fences at Canberra’s jail, the only major change to the dull, daily routine will be a traditional style of Christmas lunch for more than 400 inmates.
The inmates’ day will start with Christmas service for those who wish to attend, and breakfast, followed by a hot lunch.
Inmates working in the bakery at the Alexander Maconochie Centre. Photo: Sitthixay Ditthavong
On the menu at lunchtime will be a choice of roast turkey or ham with cranberry sauce, roast vegetables, and plum pudding.
Catering support will provide special meals to those prisoners who do not observe a traditional Christmas.
Fresh bread and pastries will be provided fresh from the jail’s bakery, where 24 inmates work each shift. Some of the new baked goods produced by the bakery over the past year have included artisan breads (Turkish bread, artisan sourdough, and ciabatta), plus Christmas cookies, croissants and danishes.
Corrections officers working on Christmas Day will receive the same meal as the prisoners. No prison visits are permitted on Christmas Day.
A detainee working in the bakery at the Alexander Maconochie Centre. Photo: Sitthixay Ditthavong
Dinner on Friday evening will consist of cold meats and salad.
More than 336,000 meals are produced each year by the kitchen staff at the Alexander Maconochie Centre.
In his Christmas message, the Commissioner for ACT Corrective Services Jon Peach described 2020 as a “challenging year”.
“I’m immensely proud of how ACT Corrective Services (ACTCS) staff have responded [to the challenges] and their continued efforts are extremely valued and appreciated,” he said in a statement.
“I hope that all staff have a safe and merry festive season, and particularly acknowledge all those staff members who will continue to work throughout the festive period.
“I hope that all staff have a safe and merry festive season, and particularly acknowledge all those staff members who will continue to work throughout the festive period.”
Inside Canberra’s jail, a traditional lunch is the highlight of Christmas Day. Picture: Jay Cronan
A book club started up late last year has proved popular with inmates. Books discussed by the club members included A Million Little Pieces, The Handmaid’s Tale, Hemingway’s The Old Man and the Sea and Machiavelli’s The Prince.
Shannon Pickles, one of the two independent official visitors appointed by the ACT government to visit the jail on a regular basis and talk to the prisoners about their concerns, said that apart from the special lunch planned, Christmas Day “will be like every other day out there”.
“There will be many people out there missing their families and presents and that connection that everyone else gets to enjoy at Christmas time,” he said.
During the 2019-2020 reporting year, 762 formal complaints were received by the official visitors from prisoners, a 61 per cent increase on the previous reporting year.
Prisoner boredom has been consistently highlighted as a cause for complaint and was also identified as an ongoing issue in the “healthy prisons” report issued by the independent Inspector of Corrections, Neil McAllister, late last year.
In his report, a survey of prisoners found that 64 per cent reported being bored “most of the time” due to lack of productive things to do, and 74 per cent reported not being able to exercise for any reason.
Unlike many prisons interstate, Canberra’s jail was not designed for significant internal commercial industries where prisoners could find meaningful work and earn money.
“It was clear from the survey we conducted that there is a high level of boredom among detainees and a strong desire to engage in meaningful work rather than the menial services jobs,” the report said.
“The review team believes that there is a strong case for the AMC to have a modest multi-purpose industries building.”
