Vic: Prison operator says it has revised cell design

AAP General News (Australia)
04-27-2000
Vic: Prison operator says it has revised cell design

A private prison operator has defended the former design of Victoria's jail cells
- which have come under fire from a coroner investigating the suicide of five inmates.

But the firm, Group Four Australia, says it has learnt from the deaths and has since
made changes at the Port Phillip Prison.

Coroner GRAEME JOHNSTONE found that Group Four Australia and the Victorian Department
of Justice hadn't done enough to remove obvious hanging points, which could be used for
suicide, in the prison cell.

But Group Four's Managing Director PETER OLSZAK says the firm had taken expert advice
to strike a balance between a humane cell design and one that was too severe, because
there was almost nothing in it.

MR OLSZAK says they've improved the management and care of prisoners, particularly
those at risk of suicide or self-harm.

And he says the firm will consider further action once it had read the details of the
court's findings.

AAP RTV gf/bg/er/amt/jn

KEYWORD: PRISON DEATHS FOUR (MELBOURNE)

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