The men and women of Berrima Correctional Centre, Goulburn Correctional Centre and High Risk Management Unit, as well as the Goulburn Community Corrections Office are among almost 25,000 frontline correctional staff to be celebrated today as part of Australia’s first annual National Corrections Day.
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Goulburn MP Pru Goward said it was vital to acknowledge the work of custodial and community corrections officers who keep the community safe in often dangerous situations.
“These officers are our friends, family and neighbours and yet we often know little about the exceptional challenges they face when they go to work each day,” Ms Goward said.
“Whether they’re working in our community or one of our prisons, their unwavering dedication to helping rehabilitate offenders and keeping us safe shouldn’t go unnoticed.”
Corrective Services NSW (CSNSW) has hired more than 2,000 correctional officers in the past seven years, with an additional 379 Community Corrections and custodial officers employed in 2017.
CSNSW Commissioner Peter Severin said the day was about recognising the important contribution correctional officers make every day.
“Today we pause to formally acknowledge the efforts of our frontline staff and thank them for the exceptional job they do in keeping our prisons and communities safe and secure,” Commissioner Severin said.
“National Corrections Day gives the community a chance to see beyond the prison walls and community office doors, to learn more about the work our officers do behind the scenes.”
The initiative was launched by CSNSW last year, before being adopted as a national day due to overwhelming success and interest from other states and territories and even New Zealand.
NSW Attorney General Mark Speakman said the day was about showing gratitude to correctional staff for the important work they do.
“I’d like to acknowledge and thank our correctional officers for their ongoing dedication and commitment to protecting the community, rehabilitating inmates and working towards reducing reoffending,” Mr Speakman said.
“Today we take the time to recognise all the Community Corrections and custodial officers, industry and trade overseers, services and programs staff who are the backbone of the department and who keep us safe.”
CSNSW employs more than 8,000 staff including 5,140 custodial officers, services and programs staff and psychologists as well as nearly 500 overseers at the 36 correctional centres across the state.
Almost 1,400 community corrections officers are employed at the 66 community corrections offices and seven satellite offices in NSW.
Madeline Crittenden
Madeline Crittenden is a journalist for Fairfax Media at the South Coast Register.
Madeline Crittenden is a journalist for Fairfax Media at the South Coast Register.
