Prisoners' rights

All prisoners have basic rights when they serve their sentence inside a prison. They have the right to be treated with humanity, dignity and respect.

All prisons and youth detention centres are inspected once a month by an official visitor, who is appointed by the Minister for Justice.

Prisoners can talk to their prisoner support officer or their Aboriginal liaison officer if they have any questions.

Legal help

Under the law, prisoners can talk to a lawyer or other legal representative. They can call them for free from prison and arrange visits.

Lawyers can also bring other people such as translators to help give advice.

Right to information

All prisoners and community-based offenders can request records of their personal and non-personal information.

To request your records, you can make a Freedom of Information request.

Adult prisoners

Adult prisoners can also request records by sending a written request to the address below:

Information Coordinator
Department of Attorney-General and Justice
GPO Box 1722
Darwin NT 0801

Representatives of young people

If you're providing legal or other services to a young person in a detention centre, you can also directly request access to some of your client’s records. This includes support and case management plans.

The information should relate to the services you're providing and the client must agree to their information being shared.

Email your request together with a signed authority from your client to:

• tf.youthddydcmanagement@nt.gov.au for Don Dale Youth Detention Centre or
• tf.youthasydcmanagement@nt.gov.au for Alice Springs Youth Detention Centre.

Medical help

Prisoners are given a full medical examination on arrival by a medical officer. This includes a record of previous medical history and medication they are currently taking.

Prisoners have access to the same health care that is available to the community in the same part of the Northern Territory (NT).

If a prisoner is critically ill or injured, their next of kin, lawyer, and anyone else who has can make decisions on their behalf will be notified.

Complaints

Prisoners who have a complaint can talk to their sector or block officer, or supervising officer.

If the issue isn’t resolved, the prisoner can submit a superintendent’s parade request form to speak to the superintendent’s delegate.

For serious complaints, the prisoner can inform the Ombudsman NT using the prisoner telephone system, or contact their lawyer.

For very serious complaints, the prisoner can speak with the official visitor, who represents the Minister for Justice.

Prisoners should also allow time for complaints to be resolved.

Transferring

Sentenced prisoners can request a transfer to another prison in another state.

This is usually for welfare reasons, such as being closer to family.

When a prisoner is transferred, it means the:

• sentence is transferred to the receiving state or territory
• new state or territory is:
  • financially responsible for the prisoner
  • responsible for the prisoner’s welfare

  Requesting a transfer

  All transfer requests must go through the Sentence Management team within the correctional facility.

  Prisoners can apply or ask their lawyer to apply on their behalf. However, legal representation is not necessary.

  The Sentence Management team can help prisoners with their applications.

  When applying, prisoners must include reasons that support the transfer, such as:

  • family support
  • medical reasons, if any
  • job opportunities after their sentence.

  Applications must also include details of any lodged appeals or outstanding charges.

  Alice Springs Correctional Centre and Barkly Work Camp

  Sentence Management team
  Alice Springs Correctional Centre
  PO Box 56
  Alice Springs NT 0871
  ascc.smt@nt.gov.au

  Darwin Correctional Centre and Datjala Work Camp

  Sentence Management team
  Darwin Correctional Centre
  PO Box 1066
  Howard Springs NT 0835
  dcc.sentencemanagement@nt.gov.au

  After a request is submitted

  Applications are processed by the Sentence Management team and provided to the Commissioner of NT Correctional Services.

  The commissioner makes a recommendation and then provides the application to the minister's office.

  Applications must be approved by:

  • NT Department of Attorney-General and Justice
  • NT Minister for Justice
  • NT Minister for Justice in the receiving state or territory.

  If the application is approved, it will be forwarded to the minister in the receiving state or territory.

  If it's not approved, the prisoner must wait 12 months before reapplying.

  Transfer applications can take many months to process.

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  Related information
  • Going to prison
  • Leaving prison
  • Visit a prisoner
  • Send and receive mail in prison
  • Prison-based offender programs