Karnet Prison Farm was originally commissioned as a prison in 1963, known as Karent Rehabilitation Training Centre. At that time, it held around 60 men.
It is a minimum-security prison for adult males with a focus on preparing prisoners to re-enter the community. It is also a working farm, and a vital link in the Department of Justice’s food supply chain. The farm includes an abattoir and dairy, and produces fresh meat, milk, eggs, fruit, and vegetables for the wider prison system. These areas also provide opportunity for prisoner employment and training.
The prison is made up of four accommodation units. Units 1 and 2 are the original accommodation blocks, which we have previously described as being in urgent need of replacement. This has not occurred, although some refurbishment has taken place. In the past, Unit 2 primarily housed people sentenced for sexual offences, but the changing demographic and the impact of COVID-19, means the population within this unit is now mixed. Unit 3 is a self-care unit made up of four separate houses each with shared kitchen, bathroom, and living areas. Unit 4 is the newest accommodation unit made up of transportable ‘dongas’.