Timeline of Key Events in Criminal Justice and Corrections in Tasmania

A case management model (correctional officers adopt new therapeutic responsibilities using a case management approach, working with the IOM unit and therapeutic services) is introduced in Tasmania Prison Service.

The Integrated Offender Management (IOM) Unit is established in Tasmania Prison Service.

The new $90 million prison is opened, with men’s maximum and medium security facilities called the Risdon Prison Complex (RPC). The old prison facilities are renovated and re-classified as the Ron Barwick Minimum Security Prison. The co-located Mary Hutchison Women’s Prison also opens.

The Wilfred Lopes Centre for Forensic Mental Health opens as a new cutting edge secure mental health unit run by the Department of Health & Human Services, separate from but co-located with the newly re-furbished and extended Risdon Prison.

The Mental Health Diversion List (MHDL) is set up as a pilot project in the Magistrates Court of Tasmania for offenders with a mental illness. It operates in collaboration with Forensic Mental Health Services. The MHDL operates without a unique legislative base, using tailored and creative bail conditions under existing provisions in the Bail Act 1994 (Tas). It joins the Safe at Home Initiative and the Court Mandated Diversion Initiative as the three therapeutic jurisprudential diversion initiatives in Tasmania.

The Court Mandated Diversion (CMD) Program for offenders who engage in drug related offending is another therapeutic jurisprudential initiative that is established in partnership with the Magistrates Court of Tasmania and Community Corrections Tasmania. The Sentencing Act 1997 is amended in 2007 to add the new sentencing order of a drug treatment order as the legislative base for CMD.

The final report of the independent Review of Community Corrections is released by KPMG.

Leadership change: there is a new Attorney-General and Minister for Justice (Lara Giddings, Labor) and new Minister for Corrections (Lisa Singh, Labor) now as its own separate ministry portfolio, for the first time in Tasmania.

Reading Together Program (like ‘Storybook Dads’) starts at Risdon Prison, where inmates record books on CD to give to their kids to read 'with them' hearing their voice while reading the books at home.

Community Corrections Tasmania launches the Sober Driver Program, a 9 week community based mandated psycho-educational program for adult repeat drink driving convictions, available in multiple locations across the state

A riot in men’s medium security sees two correctional officers seriously assaulted, two fires lit, and the stand-off is ended by the Tactical Response Group (TRG). Medium security remains in lock down for two months.

Leadership change: Director of Prisons Graeme Barber steps down and, under a hung parliament power-sharing arrangement resulting from the state election, there is a new Minister for Corrections (Nick McKim, Greens).

Ombudsman Tasmania releases a critical investigation report into the Risdon Prison Complex Tamar Unit and Behaviour Management Program for high risk offenders on the most serious level of security classification.

Pups in Prison initiative starts at Tasmania Prison Service, run by Assistance Dogs Australia, where inmates train assistance dogs 24hrs a day for up to 18 months for the benefit of people in the community with disabilities.

The Minister for Corrections and acting Director of Prisons go to the Industrial Commission to lift a two month lock down in medium.

A violent fight in maximum security Derwent Bravo Unit sees 6 officers seriously injured, and on the same day an inmate taken hostage by another inmate, a convicted murderer, in the maximum security Tamar Unit.

An inmate escapes his maximum security cell at the Risdon Prison Complex by tunnelling behind his toilet, highlighting a design floor in the new prison buildings, and makes it outside but does not successfully escape the perimeter fence. In the early hours of the morning, all maximum security male prisoners were re-located to the Ron Barwick minimum security prison. The rectification works at the Risdon Prison Complex take two months, meanwhile the maximum security inmates are supervised by correctional officers from Queensland, Victoria, New South Wales and Western Australia and the Tasmanian Tactical Response Group in the overcrowded, old minimum prison. External community services are unable to consistently hold professional visits or deliver services during this time, often locked down or locked out of the facilities.

The much awaited 10 year plan 'Breaking the Cycle: A Strategic Plan for Tasmanian Corrections 2011-2020' is launched.

Leadership changes: two leadership changes in five months for the Minister for Justice and Attorney-General portfolios. David Bartlett (Labor) is appointed to these roles in 23 January 2011, after resigning as premier of Tasmania, only to resign from parliament and have the ministry portfolios resumed by Brian Wightman (Labor) on 13 May 2011.

The Minister and the Director of Prisons go to the Industrial Commission after a bitter industrial feud over the Tactical Response Group from a permanent basis at the prison, and there are changes to procedures in the Tamar Unit (maximum). Fifty eight correctional officers are stood down without pay after refusing to undertake required duties. The officer’s union, the Community and Public Sector Union, and is furious at the industrial action. The Industrial Commission finds in favour of the government, and the officers are ordered to return to work.

Leaking of confidential case notes on notorious inmates in Tasmania Prison Service to 'The Mercury' newspaper is investigated by Police. Corrections Minister Nick McKim accuses correctional officers of stealing case notes and reports and illegally leaking them.

Notorious inmate Adrian Pickett successfully sues the Tasmanian government for breaches of duty of care and human rights, after years of being held indefinitely in solitary confinement in his cell for up to 23 hours a day in the troubled maximum security Tamar Unit. Pickett has a long history of violent attacks against correctional officers and inmates. During the court proceedings, the government admits breaching its duty of care in Pickett’s case.

An edited version of The Palmer Inquiry, an independent inquiry into Risdon Prison Complex (RPC), is publicly released. Most of the 39 recommendations reflect and respond to moderate or serious issues in the current infrastructure, staffing and operating models of practice in men's medium and maximum security.

September - October: the Integrated Offender Management (IOM) unit at Tasmania Prison Service facilitate the first prisoner art exhibition ‘Artists with Conviction’ with much success, in conjunction the Hobart City Council and Reclink.

An eight hour prison siege takes place in which inmates took two officers hostage in the notorious maximum security Tamar Unit. Police negotiators and special operations group officers resolved the situation.

The long awaited appointment of the new change manager, Brian Edwards, to oversee change management and reforms at Tasmania Prison Service.

Prison siege involving eight inmates in the maximum security Huon Unit using handmade weapons, briefly taking two correctional officers hostage. The Tactical Response Group is involved in the resolution of the incident.

Leadership change: Mr Barry Greenberry commences as the new Director of Prisons, replacing acting Director Greg Partridge. Shortly after arriving, Mr Greenberry instigates a major internal re-structure, renaming units, roles and teams, and re-arranging significant aspects of the Tasmania Prison Service organisational structure.

The Hayes Prison Farm (minimum security, open) which opened in 1937 is de-commissioned and is closed, and the inmates are re-located to facilities at Risdon Prison.

It is revealed that Director of Prisons, Mr Barry Greenberry, has been on extended stress leave since January 2013 and has his five year contract has ended one year in, in a confidential agreement involving a substantial pay-out with the state government. Change Manager, Brian Edwards, also appointed in 2012, takes up the role and acts as Director of Prisons.