You can make a request or complaint to your unit staff, officers in charge and to the Prison Manager. The Prison Manager must be available at reasonable times to receive your requests and complaints, to record requests and complaints and to take action where they deem it necessary.
The Corrections Act allows you to make confidential requests or complaints about the prison management to a number of public authorities including the Minister or Corrections, the Secretary to the Department of Justice, the Corrections Commissioner, the Governor of the prison, an Official Visitor, the Ombudsman, the Health Services Commissioner and the Human Rights Commissioner. Prison administrators owe you a duty of care and so must maintain certain standards in the prison for the safety of prisoners.
If you plan on making a complaint
- write down what the issue is
- write down how you would like to see it fixed
- keep a copy
- ask for help if you are not sure what to write
- contact a legal service for advice, and give them a copy of your written records
- keep a record of any response you receive
- if you do not receive or are not satisfied with the response from your unit staff, direct the complaint to the Unit or Prison Manager
- if you do not receive or are not satisfied with the response from the Prison Manager, you may also contact the Minister, the appropriate Commissioner, or the Ombudsman
Refer to the self-help kit “How to addressing an issue in writing”.
People you can contact Phone DX
Ombudsman’s Office 9613 6222 210174 (Melbourne)
Health Services Commissioner 8601 5200 210182 (Melbourne)
Minister for Corrections 8684 6600 210085 (Melbourne)
Secretary of the Department of Justice 8684 0000 210077 (Melbourne)
Human Rights Commissioner 9281 7100
Further information
This fact sheet contains general information only and is not a substitute for obtaining legal advice. If you would like advice regarding a specific problem please contact one of the legal services listed in contacts or contact the Law Institute of Victoria’s Legal Referral Service on 9607 9311.