Custody and Sentence Planning – a Throughcare Model for ‘AA’ (terrorist) inmates

Category AA and Category 5 inmates are “inmates who, in the opinion of the Commissioner, represent a special risk to national security (for example, because of a perceived risk that they may engage in, or incite other persons to engage in, terrorist activities) and should at all times be confined in special facilities within a secure physical barrier that includes
towers or electronic surveillance equipment.”7 At present, there is no specific documented practical pathway for AA
inmates to progress to a mainstream management program, since to do so they must no longer “represent a special risk to national security”. Whilst a law enforcement agency might advise the Department of an increased risk to national security posed by a particular AA inmate, it may not be the case that the Department will be so informed if an AA inmate’s risk to national security decreases or dissipates. Consequently, there is a real risk that a Category AA inmate, once so classified, will remain so classified regardless of his actual “special risk to national security”, contrary to the policy of applying the least restrictive security level appropriate to an inmate’s level of risk. Our project documents a risk-based and behaviour-based progression pathway for AA inmates from receipt into custody to discharge from custody and post-custody supervision, using existing systems and processes, so that the management of AA inmates complies with the Department’s mission and vision statements and the Through Care offender model. It addresses the safety and security threat posed by AA inmates by ensuring their management is matched to their actual national security risk level and refined in light of any changes to this level, AND matched to their risk to the good order and security of the correctional system.