August 2012
First Prison Build home delivered
Junee Correctional Centre has delivered Australia’s first ‘Prison Build’ home. Delivery of the home is the culmination of more than 18 months of hard work by Junee staff and inmates as well as key partners in the project, Habitat for Humanity (HFH) and TAFE NSW Riverina Institute. There has also been significant support from Junee Shire Council, local community members and HFH family partners.
This unique collaboration has allowed inmates to prefabricate a house of about 100m2 (10 squares) at the correctional centre and complete construction at the new home site.
Inmates began building the house in the centre’s TAFE training complex then pieced it together in an area adjoining the staff car park. The house, which is allocated to a low-income family in need, was then transported in two halves to a selected block of land in Junee.
Prisoners with appropriate approvals completed the on-site preparation of the home including installing plasterboard, while the prison cabinet-making team produced and installed kitchen benches. Inmates also assisted with landscaping.
The Prison Build initiative follows Junee Correctional Centre introducing a building and construction certificate course through TAFE NSW Riverina Institute in 2009.
Inmates are currently completing a second home at the centre and it is hoped that the Prison Build project will remain a strong element of Junee’s training and employment programs for many years to come.
Dead ringer for a 19th century hearse
Fulham Correctional Centre has shared a local couple’s passion for vintage vehicles by building them a magnificent horse-drawn hearse.
Ricky and Wendy Fornaro have amassed a large collection of pre-motorised vehicles that they use for tourist and commercial stagecoach journeys.
Over the past three years prisoners working in the engineering and woodwork sections of the centre have constructed two custom-built vehicles for the couple.
The first assignment, a replica of a 14-seat Cobb & Co stagecoach, was completed in 2010. This year Fulham delivered a stunning replica of a 19th century hearse.
The project started with just four wheels, two axles, a rusted turntable/steering mechanism and a book on stagecoaches with a chapter on hearses. Using the book’s pictures and diagrams, the industry team drew-up plans for the frame and was granted creative licence to design the coach.
Over a 12-month period the project provided prisoners with a meaningful and rewarding activity and nine inmates secured accredited qualifications — three in Certificate II engineering and six in Certificate II cabinet making and furnishing.
“The finished product is testament to the commitment of our training staff, the education provider and the prisoners themselves,” said Fulham’s industry manager Ian Riley.
“This project is an example of the rehabilitation outcomes that correctional centres aim for and highlights the skills that prisoners have and can attain while in prison.”
“On projects such as this prisoners gain work skills, build self-esteem and develop a sense of achievement, while establishing positive evidence to provide to prospective employers upon release.”
Ricky and Wendy Fornaro were delighted with the quality of workmanship in the newest addition to their collection.
Arthur Gorrie Correctional Centre celebrated 20 years of operation on 1 July.
The GEO Group Australia hosted a function to recognise the milestone on the evening of 30 June with more than 200 current and past employees and partners attending.
Among the special guests at the function were 18 staff members who have worked at the centre for two decades.
Arthur Gorrie Correctional Centre was commissioned in 1992 as a 380-bed remand centre. It was initially intended to be state-managed, however a decision was made to outsource the facility and Arthur Gorrie became Queensland’s second privately run prison (the first was Borallon in 1988).
The centre has undergone a number of significant changes over the 20 years, including the construction of new cell blocks in 1996, 2002 and 2008 that increased capacity by a combined 410 beds.
Arthur Gorrie opened with about 200 staff and today that number has grown to more than 400 in line with the increase in prison capacity.
In recent times Arthur Gorrie has been recognised by the Queensland Government for its environmental programs and its innovative inmate support programs.
The centre has established strong community partnerships and some of the organisations it is actively involved with include the RSPCA, Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary, Australia Zoo, Carleton Industries and Goodna Special School.
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