The Andrews Labor Government will build a post-sentence detention unit at Barwon Prison to keep the community safe.
The 10-bed unit will house the state’s most serious violent offenders who are deemed unsuitable to live in the community after their prison sentence has finished.
The facility, funded as part of a record $308 million investment in the post-sentence scheme in the Victorian Budget 2017/18, will be built within the current Barwon Prison site.
The criteria for which offenders will be placed on a detention order is being developed but will include offenders with long and violent criminal histories, as well as offenders convicted of serious violent offences such as murder.
The Supreme Court will determine whether to subject an offender to a detention order on the application of the Director of Public Prosecutions, taking into account a detailed clinical assessment report of the offender.
Detention orders are already in place for serious sex offenders, who can be placed on such an order for up to three years. The Supreme Court can renew orders if it is necessary to protect the community.
The $308 million in the Budget will allow the government to fully implement all 35 of the Harper Review recommendations, of which seven have already been completed.
Other reforms outlined in the Budget include:
- a secure 20-bed post-sentence supervision facility for serious violent and sex offenders in Ararat
- a new statutory authority to provide independent and rigorous oversight of the post-sentence scheme
- enhanced treatment for serious violent and sex offenders.
Quotes attributable to Minister for Corrections Gayle Tierney
“We’re strengthening and expanding the management and supervision of serious violent and sex offenders to keep the community safe.”
“This new facility will house the state’s worst offenders and give the courts another tool to better manage serious violent offenders.”
“We’ve already completed seven of the Harper Review recommendations and we’ll continue reforming the system until they’re all implemented.”
Reviewed 19 August 2020