Alexander Maconochie Centre

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

This article is orphaned as few or no other articles link to it. Please help introduce links in articles on related topics. (November 2007)

Australian Prisons
Alexander Maconochie Centre
Location:	Canberra, Australian Capital Territory
Status:	Under Construction
Classification:	Multi Grade (Minimum to Maximum Security) / Remand
Capacity:	300+
Managed by:	ACT Corrective Services

The Alexander Maconochie Centre is a new prison and remand centre complex under construction in the Australian Capital Territory.

The centre is designed as a multi role facility to replace the Belconnen Remand Centre and provide detention facilities so that prisoners who are currently held in New South Wales facilities may be held locally. The prison will cater to all security levels and is designed and will be run in accordance with UN Human Rights Standards.

The new facility has been the subject of controversy given the large initial cost estimates and the cost blow out revealed in recent costings. The chief argument by proponents of the facility was that the facility would save the ACT millions of dollars every year because it would not have to pay for prisoners to be held in New South Wales operated prisons. Based on the current cost of approximately $60,000 per year, per prisoner that it costs for the ACT to send prisoners interstate, the centre was to pay for itself in fifteen years. However, the recent increase in the costs of construction and operation of the prison will no doubt mean that the facility will take longer to pay for itself.^{[citation needed]}

The other major controversy is the doubt over whether or not the ACT, with a population of just over 320,000, actually needs its own prison. If the prison were in operation in early 2007, it would only be 1/4 utilised. Given the expense of staff and operating the prison, some doubt whether it will be any cheaper than the current prison agreement with the New South Wales government.^{[citation needed]}

[edit] See also

• List of Australian prisons
• Alexander Maconochie Centre

v • d • e Prisons in the Australian Capital Territory Alexander Maconochie Centre · Belconnen Remand Centre · Periodic Detention Centre · Rehabilitation Programs Unit · Symonston Temporary Remand Centre See also: List of Australian prisons