Vic: Minister urged to act on police cells

AAP General News (Australia)
04-20-2006
Vic: Minister urged to act on police cells

MELBOURNE, April 20 AAP - The Victorian government must stop using police cells as
"mini prisons" by immediately changing their classification, a justice group has urged.

Father Peter Norden, of the Victorian Criminal Justice Coalition, said today the government
should move to end the practice now that it has opened a 600-bed remand centre in Melbourne's
outer west.

Police Minister Tim Holding opened the new Ravenhall centre on Tuesday saying it would
ease pressure on the state's police cells.

Mr Holding admitted some people were still spending far too long in police cells.

As of Monday, 116 people had been held in police cells for more than 10 days, according
to Victorian government figures, with 66 people in cells for more than 20 days.

Fr Norden said the classification of cells, including those beneath Melbourne Magistrates'
Court, should be changed to allow a maximum seven-day stay.

"Many of these police cells are used as mini-prisons and are currently gazetted to
hold inmates for up to 30 days," he said.

"This classification should be changed immediately," he said.

"This is a matter which I raised with the minister six months ago now and with the
new remand centre open it is time for him to act.

"I'm disappointed that the prisons minister has failed to do it despite the fact he's
been briefed and he's had the opportunity."

Victoria Ombudsman George Brouwer is expected to release soon a report to the parliament
about conditions in cells.

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KEYWORD: PRISON VIC

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