Illawarra Reintegration Centre to close next year
The Illawarra’s 60-inmate Reintegration Centre is set to close by early next year, less than three years after it was opened.
Illawarra Star
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The Illawarra Reintegration Centre is set to close by early next year, less than three years after it was opened.
On Tuesday, it was announced that four of the state’s smallest correctional centres — including the reintegration centre at Berrima, Ivanhoe and Brewarinna Correctional Centres — would be closed down.
Minister for Counter Terrorism and Corrections Anthony Roberts said operations at Berrima Correctional Centre and the Illawarra Reintegration Centre would be “retired” in early 2020 and Ivanhoe and Brewarrina correctional centres in mid-2020.
The Illawarra Reintegration Centre opened on June 2, 2017 to accommodate 60 minimum security offenders, with a strong focus on preparing inmates for life on the outside.
The centre made headlines in July, after an inmate escaped custody while working at a day release program at Mt Keira Scout Camp.
Mr Roberts said the decision to close the jails was triggered by the new 1700-bed Clarence Correctional Centre and expansion of prisons in Junee, Bathurst, Cessnock, Mid North Coast, Parklea and Windsor.
“[This] means we will have almost 5,000 beds available in modern, built-for-purpose prisons with greater rehabilitation opportunities,” he said.
“As this new infrastructure becomes available, Corrective Services NSW has a responsibility to ensure staff are not working in overcrowded prisons and have the opportunity to work in these safer, more secure facilities.”
While it’s not yet known how many jobs will be lost in the Illawarra, Mr Roberts said he hoped to retain “as many experienced staff as possible”.
“We will support staff through this process and hope to retain as many of our experienced officers as possible,” he said.
In addition, about 1,800 double-up and triple-up beds will be removed across the state, starting at centres on the South Coast, Mid North Coast, Glen Innes and Shortland, to increase the availability of safer, single-occupant cells.
Commissioner Peter Severin said making these changes as safe new infrastructure becomes operational gave CSNSW the best opportunity to place affected staff in other roles.
“We are committed to supporting staff and their families through this change and will do whatever is feasible to find staff other roles if that is what they desire,” he said.
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