Background
The Office of the Inspector of Custodial Services has consistently praised Albany Regional Prison for its high performance, often referring to it as one of the state’s best performing prisons. It’s strong performance was largely driven by ‘the Albany Way’, principles described by this Office as: A workforce culture that shared positive values; A pragmatic …
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Conclusion
Previous inspections conducted between 2002 and 2011 have consistently praised Albany as one of the state’s best performing prisons. During this inspection we noticed slippages in a number of areas. Despite this, Albany remained a good prison. The prison felt calmer than most metropolitan prisons and both prisoners and staff generally felt safe. We found …
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Key Findings
The state’s economic environment had changed and as a result the new management team had made the unpopular decision to restrict overtime. The decision initially impacted negatively on staff and management relationships, but by the time of the inspection, staff were beginning to understand that budgetary restrictions were beyond the control of the prison management. …
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Recommendations
Recommendation 1 Ensure effective security measures are taken at the gatehouse to prevent the entry of contraband. Recommendation 2 Improve control room processes and practices including rotating night shift officers through the control room. Recommendation 3 Ensure that all prisoners at Albany Regional Prison are provided with a thorough orientation. Recommendation 4 Ensure that prisoners …
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