Women detainees in the ACT justice system are to be supported through a range of new measures from ACT Corrective Services.
Minister for Corrections, Mick Gentleman said the measures would see women detainees provided with appropriate support while in custody.
“Women offenders have often experienced complex trauma and family and sexual violence and may be from disadvantaged backgrounds,” Mr Gentleman said.
“Government is providing targeted services and support to improve the wellbeing of women in detention, reduce reoffending and help keep our community safe,” he said.
“This includes practical solutions such as returning female detainees to the purpose-built Women’s Care Centre accommodation facility.”
Mr Gentleman said the Justice and Community Safety Directorate had also developed a new Women Offenders Framework to provide staff with best practice principles to better support female detainees at the Alexander Maconochie Centre.
The Minister said the Framework was developed in consultation with community stakeholders and with women with lived experience of the ACT justice system.
“This will support staff to provide a better sentence management service to offenders from the time they enter the system to the end of their sentence,” he said.
“The Framework forms part of the transition to an Integrated Offender Management Model for women, which is part of the Government response to a range of review recommendations.”
The Directorate’s 41page Women Offenders Framework can be accessed at this PS News link.
