People in prison will know all about lockdowns. Now, they’ve reached the mainstream.
The regular use of lockdowns across the Australian prison system has been in the spotlight in recent weeks, with governments under pressure to address the growing issue that is having a devastating impact on those inside.
Just a few weeks ago, the ABC’s investigative program 7.30 ran a huge story about the extended lockdowns at Victoria’s women’s prison, Dame Phyllis Frost Centre (DPFC). The program generated significant publicity, and even reached Parliament, where the state government was asked about it in detail.
The government has since revealed that there were more than 100 lockdowns of different lengths at the DPFC between April and October last year. None of these lockdowns were due to prison disturbances; all were because of staff shortages.
Ashleigh Chapman, recently released from DPFC, regularly experienced lockdowns during her imprisonment, which she said effectively placed her into solitary confinement.
“It has a massive impact,” Ashleigh told About Time.
“It made everything a lot more difficult. Especially in the management unit – people were just left in their cells to suffer. A lot of people are struggling, mentally and physically, and it’s impacting their families.”
With ongoing staffing issues, DPFC has now implemented a policy of “rolling lockdowns”, which entails the prison locking down two units on any day there are staffing shortages. During these lockdowns, all people in the prison will need to have a valid appointment slip to leave their units.
Lockdowns have become a common response by prison management, resulting in staff cancelling programs and services and making it much harder for people inside to call home.
The Victorian Aboriginal Legal Service (VALS) and Law & Advocacy Centre for Women have both reported having appointments and services cancelled due to these lockdowns.
“We have received reports that programs, calls and visits – including legal and medical appointments – continue to be disrupted, with the department stating that these were due to issues with the ‘administration of rostering’,” VALS CEO Nerita Waight said.
“These circumstances are leaving the women with no ability to plan accordingly, to notify family members of their support services which invariably leave them feeling uncertain and unconnected.”
The Law & Advocacy Centre for Women (LACW) also said the lockdowns were having a huge impact on their clients.
“LACW is deeply concerned by the impact that ongoing lockdowns are having on our clients’ mental health, and on their ability to access services and programs which will aid their reintegration to life outside the prison,” LACW Principal Legal Officer Ellen Murphy said.
“The ability to maintain contact with children, family, support people and service providers is integral to our clients’ wellbeing, and frequent disruption to these relationships has the capacity to have devastating and long-lasting consequences.”
People in prison will know all about lockdowns. Now, they’ve reached the mainstream.
The regular use of lockdowns across the Australian prison system has been in the spotlight in recent weeks, with governments under pressure to address the growing issue that is having a devastating impact on those inside.
Just a few weeks ago, the ABC’s investigative program 7.30 ran a huge story about the extended lockdowns at Victoria’s women’s prison, Dame Phyllis Frost Centre (DPFC). The program generated significant publicity, and even reached Parliament, where the state government was asked about it in detail.
The government has since revealed that there were more than 100 lockdowns of different lengths at the DPFC between April and October last year. None of these lockdowns were due to prison disturbances; all were because of staff shortages.
Ashleigh Chapman, recently released from DPFC, regularly experienced lockdowns during her imprisonment, which she said effectively placed her into solitary confinement.
“It has a massive impact,” Ashleigh told About Time.
“It made everything a lot more difficult. Especially in the management unit – people were just left in their cells to suffer. A lot of people are struggling, mentally and physically, and it’s impacting their families.”
With ongoing staffing issues, DPFC has now implemented a policy of “rolling lockdowns”, which entails the prison locking down two units on any day there are staffing shortages. During these lockdowns, all people in the prison will need to have a valid appointment slip to leave their units.
Lockdowns have become a common response by prison management, resulting in staff cancelling programs and services and making it much harder for people inside to call home.
The Victorian Aboriginal Legal Service (VALS) and Law & Advocacy Centre for Women have both reported having appointments and services cancelled due to these lockdowns.
“We have received reports that programs, calls and visits – including legal and medical appointments – continue to be disrupted, with the department stating that these were due to issues with the ‘administration of rostering’,” VALS CEO Nerita Waight said.
“These circumstances are leaving the women with no ability to plan accordingly, to notify family members of their support services which invariably leave them feeling uncertain and unconnected.”
The Law & Advocacy Centre for Women (LACW) also said the lockdowns were having a huge impact on their clients.
“LACW is deeply concerned by the impact that ongoing lockdowns are having on our clients’ mental health, and on their ability to access services and programs which will aid their reintegration to life outside the prison,” LACW Principal Legal Officer Ellen Murphy said.
“The ability to maintain contact with children, family, support people and service providers is integral to our clients’ wellbeing, and frequent disruption to these relationships has the capacity to have devastating and long-lasting consequences.”
Many people in prison have complained to the Victorian Ombudsman, who has said that this is an example of why there is a real need for independent oversight of prisons.
When asked by About Time about the issues at DPFC, a spokesperson for the Department of Justice and Community Safety said that “lockdowns are sometimes required to ensure the safety of staff and prisoners”.
“Prisoners continue to have their healthcare needs met if a lockdown occurs and arrangements are also made to ensure access to legal services and rehabilitation,” the spokesperson said.
“We are continuing to recruit hundreds of new corrections staff, with new recruits to start at DPFC soon.”
The government also said that out-of-cell hours in Victorian prisons are above the national average.
There have been similar recent reports of extended and regular lockdowns in other prisons around the country.
A report by the Western Australian Office of the Inspector of Custodial Services into the Hakea Prison found that people incarcerated there were given no more than two hours out of their cells on any given day, and sometimes were not allowed out of their cell at all in a 24-hour period.
A report on the Bathurst Correctional Centre in New South Wales, based on inspections of the prison in 2023, found that a lockdown of some level took place once every three days.
The Multi-Function Accommodation Unit at the prison had 16 full-day lockdowns and four part-day lockdowns across a three month period, while the MPU had 11 full-days and six partial-days in lockdown.
And documents obtained by the Tasmanian Greens earlier this year revealed there were more than 6,150 lockdowns across the Risdon Prison’s 16 units in the last year, equating to more than 16,000 hours in lockdown due to staff shortages.
One unit at the Southern Remand Centre in Rison was locked down to some level 655 times in 2024, and more than 200 of these times were for longer than four hours.
Those who are experiencing these regular lockdowns report feeling isolated and hopelessness. But the women blowing the whistle on the lockdowns want those inside to know that the pressure is increasing, and public sentiment is being influenced.
“Even though it seems like nothing is changing, we are working out here to stop them,” Kelly Flanagan, who was recently released from DPFC, told About Time.
“Now that I’m out and telling the story, there are plenty of girls in there who are keeping records of their lockdowns. The way we can support the women is by acknowledging that we see them, we see what they’re going through and we’re prepared to fight for them.”
Chapman also has a message to share:
“There are people that do care, and we are trying to get it sorted,” she said.
“I’ve been there – keep hanging in there and if you need anything just reach out… there are people who want to listen and help.”
Many people in prison have complained to the Victorian Ombudsman, who has said that this is an example of why there is a real need for independent oversight of prisons.
When asked by About Time about the issues at DPFC, a spokesperson for the Department of Justice and Community Safety said that “lockdowns are sometimes required to ensure the safety of staff and prisoners”.
“Prisoners continue to have their healthcare needs met if a lockdown occurs and arrangements are also made to ensure access to legal services and rehabilitation,” the spokesperson said.
“We are continuing to recruit hundreds of new corrections staff, with new recruits to start at DPFC soon.”
The government also said that out-of-cell hours in Victorian prisons are above the national average.
There have been similar recent reports of extended and regular lockdowns in other prisons around the country.
A report by the Western Australian Office of the Inspector of Custodial Services into the Hakea Prison found that people incarcerated there were given no more than two hours out of their cells on any given day, and sometimes were not allowed out of their cell at all in a 24-hour period.
A report on the Bathurst Correctional Centre in New South Wales, based on inspections of the prison in 2023, found that a lockdown of some level took place once every three days.
The Multi-Function Accommodation Unit at the prison had 16 full-day lockdowns and four part-day lockdowns across a three month period, while the MPU had 11 full-days and six partial-days in lockdown.
And documents obtained by the Tasmanian Greens earlier this year revealed there were more than 6,150 lockdowns across the Risdon Prison’s 16 units in the last year, equating to more than 16,000 hours in lockdown due to staff shortages.
One unit at the Southern Remand Centre in Rison was locked down to some level 655 times in 2024, and more than 200 of these times were for longer than four hours.
Those who are experiencing these regular lockdowns report feeling isolated and hopelessness. But the women blowing the whistle on the lockdowns want those inside to know that the pressure is increasing, and public sentiment is being influenced.
“Even though it seems like nothing is changing, we are working out here to stop them,” Kelly Flanagan, who was recently released from DPFC, told About Time.
“Now that I’m out and telling the story, there are plenty of girls in there who are keeping records of their lockdowns. The way we can support the women is by acknowledging that we see them, we see what they’re going through and we’re prepared to fight for them.”
Chapman also has a message to share:
“There are people that do care, and we are trying to get it sorted,” she said.
“I’ve been there – keep hanging in there and if you need anything just reach out… there are people who want to listen and help.”
Including tough bail laws being introduced in Victoria, the South Australian Government ruling out raising the age of criminal responsibility, a new parole board president appointed in Queensland and more.
The Australian Federal election is coming up. This is about voting for the Prime Minister and other federal politicians. It will be held on 3 May 2025.
“We can’t get information about how a party or candidate’s policies must impact prisoners,” Kelly told About Time. “Prison officers also will not provide us with any information as it is seen as political.”
Prison work differs across the country.
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