Four separate facilities are being built or redeveloped on the existing Risdon Prison site:
Within the new mens prison there will be specialist accommodation beds to allow prisoners with specific needs to be treated differently and separated from others, eg protection, crisis support, behaviour management.
Disability access cells and access paths will be included.
Allowances have been made for possible future expansion of all the new facilities.
The building contract has been signed and work is underway on the site.
The existing Risdon Prison has solid fences. The new style of prison is more open with wire fences rather than solid walls. Prisoners will be able to see out of the prison.
Landscaping and design features such as solid screens will be used inside and outside the prison as much as possible to screen the inmates (ie trees around the perimeter, some use of landscaping inside the facility where possible, exercise yards facing away from neighbouring residences).
The new mens maximum/medium prison will be located further away from the township of Risdon Vale and slightly over the rise so the noise impact should be less than it is currently.
A project called Reducing Re-offending is working on an appropriate assessment process and the best types of programs to prevent re-offending for different categories of prisoners.
Work is underway on sex offender programs and the Safe at Home program that targets domestic violence offenders.
Other research and development is also happening about young offenders and diversion programs for drug users.
Dr Caroline Evans has produced a social history of imprisonment at Risdon.
A heritage archaeologist has also been commissioned to develop a record of all buildings and structures on the prison site that will be demolished or significantly altered during the PIRP project.
