A former prisoner says that she documented seven suicide attempts in just four weeks in the Maximum Security Prison in Victoria, in the midst of a wave of locking triggered by staff shortages.
Warning: This story contains references to attempts at self -harm and suicide.
Kelly Flanagan was released as a parole of Lady Phyllis Frost Center at the end of March, she was imprisoned for 42 months after being found guilty of armed robbery, kidnapping and false imprisonment.
She described her crimes as a “drug trafficking that went wrong”.
Since July of last year, the prison has been faced with unprecedented locking to disrupt legal, health and social protection services, as well as visits and telephone calls.
Locking is generally reserved for emergencies such as riots or other security violations. However, to the Lady Phyllis Frost Center, they were regularly implemented due to a lack of staff.
Victoria’s Maximum Safety Female Prison Phyllis Frost Center in the west of Melbourne. (ABC News: Barrie Pullen))
With each prisoner sealed in a small individual cell, Ms. Flanagan compared the conditions for lonely isolation.
She says that she and her prisoner colleagues were locked up without interaction or support or sometimes even meal for days and nights.
“You would normally be unlocked at 8:30 am, they would count everyone … and then the next thing you know, you don’t let yourself be released. So you have to stay in your cell,” she said at 7:30 am.
“”I really suffered from my mental health with locks. I cut my wrists on an occasion.“”
Kelly Flanagan was locked in the Lady Phyllis Frost Center in February 2022. (ABC News))
His newspaper document a suicide attempt from another detainee on March 13, the pending nurse said that the detainee had cut her own throat and his wrists. Two days later, another attempt was recorded in his documents.
Ms. Flanagan wrote notes on five other attempts involving indigenous women in a separate unit.
“This is what happens when you put us in a space without connection,” she said at 7:30 am.
“”They are mothers and girls, sisters and aunts, and I have the impression of being treated like human garbage.“”
Two years before Waradjari’s wife, Ms. Flanagan was incarcerated, another native woman, Veronica Nelson, died in detention in the same prison. An investigation into his death has caused major reforms, but Ms. Flanagan says that she fears that generalized locks can lead to another death in detention.
Kelly Flanagan says the prisoners were locked up in conditions similar to isolation, without interaction, support or meal. (ABC News: Dylan Anderson))
“Enough, it’s enough. How many additional people must die so that someone can listen to, so that someone takes responsibility?” Asked Ms. Flanagan.
“I feel like I owe other women to give them a voice.”
The Ministry of Justice and Community Security (DJC) said at 7:30 am in a press release “locks are sometimes necessary to ensure the security of staff and prisoners”.
Contradictory records
The correspondence of the confidential government obtained from 7:30 am reveals that there have been at least 106 locking in prison since July of last year.
A letter, signed by the acting secretary of the Ministry of Justice and Community Security, Ryan Phillips, insists that meals and legal visits have continued as usual and denies any increase in self -controlling incidents.
He also indicates that no unit has been locked for more than a consecutive day.
However, a newspaper of legal services and others also obtained by 7.30 contradicted these insurances.
Since July 2024, there have been at least 106 locking inside the Lady Phyllis Frost Center. (ABC News: Emily Bissland))
On February 18, a 43 -hour locking was recorded. “No access outside the cell,” says entry.
On November 8 and 11, “No Dinner” is cataloged. Former prisoner Kelly Flanagan also noted “no dinner” in his newspaper at the time.
The same activity journal documents seven missed legal appointments and the cancellation of 28 nominations related to housing, a critical requirement for prisoners from Liberation. Without secure housing, detainees cannot be conditional.
Adriana Mackay, of the support service, says that several women they have supported have been detained in months in prison beyond their release dates, as locks have prevented them from attending key housing meetings.
Adriana Mackay runs flat, a service that helps detainees find houses when they are released from prison. (ABC News))
“The housing offers will be canceled and removed from the table, and we really find ourselves to disturb, trying to defend the housing offer to stay while there is uncertainty,” said Mackay.
She remembers arguing Kelly Flanagan while she was still inside, noting that Ms. Flanagan missed most of her appointments due to locking and remained in detention of months after her release date.
A number of support services, especially entirely, have raised concerns about the impact of locking, but Ms. Mackay said that government officials continue to reject them.
“What we see on the ground in relation to what is said to us … They don’t correspond,” said Ms. Mackay.
“We are simply at a loss.”
A DJC spokesperson told 7.30 that prisoners “continue to satisfy their health care needs in the event of locking and that provisions are also made to guarantee access to legal services and rehabilitation”.
“The system is broken”
Earlier this month, more than 1,000 police officers expressed a vote without confidence in the Correctional Commissioner of the Larissa Strong State.
The CPSU, which led the vote, cited the outbreak of violence, a series of attacks on the personnel of the penitentiary system and chronic staff shortages, the problems which should worsen within the framework of the State Stricter bond laws, which were introduced in March and are likely to increase the prison population.
The stricter bond laws should push the number of prisoners higher in Victoria. (ABC News: Dylan Anderson))
To remedy this, the Victorian government has announced A cash injection of $ 727 millionwhich will go to ensure 1,000 additional prison beds.
The government has also launched an aggressive recruitment campaign for prison guards, which includes a sweetener of $ 8,000 for recruits.
Victorian Prime Minister Jacinta Allan said that more than 640 new prison officers had already signed.
However, the Minister of State Correctional Services David Southwick said that new measures are not sufficient to transform what he calls a system in crisis.
“It’s just crazy, the fact that this government has allowed him to become bad,” said Southwick.
“”The penitentiary system is in check in Victoria.“”
Generous connection premiums are offered as part of the recruitment process for prison guards. (ABC News: Emily Bissland))
He said that the prison guards contacted him directly, expressing their reluctance to present themselves to work due to security problems and the lack of support for management.
“Four employees were injured yesterday due to non -compliant prisoners,” said a text.
“Two others of my colleagues were attacked. One was punching in the face, and the other was spit.” Another reading.
He says that some guards now refuse to come to work, while others completely leave the service, aggravating staff shortages and create other locks.
“It’s just a vicious circle,” said Southwick.
The Minister of Correctional Services, Enver Erdogan, said at 7:30 am in a statement he had asked the commissioner to examine “how handcuffs and other measures are used to ensure that personnel safety is first”.
“We continue to recruit hundreds of new correctional employees … with new recruits from DPFC (Lady Phyllis Frost Center) soon.”
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