Visits to Darwin prison suspended as a safety measure during Territory lockdown

All social and professional visits to the Darwin Correctional Centre have been suspended until the end of the Northern Territory lockdown.

ALL social and professional visits to the Darwin Correctional Centre have been suspended until the end of the Northern Territory lockdown.

Acting Correctional Services Commissioner David Thompson said the move complied with the Chief Health Officer’s direction and was a necessary precautionary measure.

He said the suspension of visits would minimise potential risks to the health and wellbeing of prisoners, staff, essential support service workers and the wider community.

“We are also suspending visits from non-essential service providers including volunteers, official visitors and non-government organisations’, Mr Thompson said.

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“Prisoners will continue to have access to essential medical and support services with some professional visitors such as lawyers looking to use video links and phone calls to continue any urgent contacts with prisoners.

”We recognise the importance of prisoners maintaining contact and ties with family and friends and visits will resume as soon as possible following the Chief Health Officer reviewing the risks of the current threat.”

He said he would keep the community informed of any other changes made at NT correctional facilities.

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Originally published as Visits to Darwin prison suspended as a safety measure during Territory lockdown