Telstra payphone system to improve security in prisons

23/11/95

An innovative computer-controlled Telstra payphone system will be installed in Western Australia's 13 prisons, Assisting Minister for Justice Kevin Minson announced today.

"The new system will provide greater security controls, without being a burden on taxpayers," Mr Minson said at the launch of the system at the C W Campbell Remand Centre at Canning Vale.

WA will be the first State to extensively install this prisoner payphone system in all its prisons.

Mr Minson said the phones would operate like normal payphones, with each prisoner using a unique identification number to activate inbuilt security controls which would include:

·       restrictions which only allowed dialling telephone numbers of family and friends approved by the Ministry of Justice;

·       a pre-recorded message played to the person receiving the call before the prisoner could speak, giving the receiver the opportunity to hang up if they did not want to take the call;

·       prisoners paying for their calls by automatically deducting the cost of the call from their telephone account. They would have to have credit in their account to make calls; and-

·       prison staff being able to monitor calls and control various times of the day when the telephones could be used, along with the ability to withdraw phone access for disciplinary reasons.

"Telstra's Controlled Access Telephone System (CATS) will not cost taxpayers a cent, and follows a trial of a computer-controlled payphone in Parramatta Prison in NSW for the past two years," Mr Minson said.

The pilot project at Parramatta Prison has shown that prisoners with more access to the telephone have less incidents of conflict with prison staff, thus reducing staff stress.

"We have always known that an important part of managing prisoners is supporting their ongoing contact with family and friends," the Minister said.

"The telephone is the most efficient, cost-effective and secure way of achieving this ongoing contact.  However, in the past it has been difficult to allow prisoners greater access to the public telephone system without compromising security and maintaining protection for members of the public.

"This system offers many benefits to prison staff in the management of prisoners, as well as greater security for members of the public."

The first installation of the new payphone system is scheduled for January 1996 at the C W Campbell Remand Centre at Canning Vale, with all other prisons to be completed by July, 1996.

Media contact: Diana Russell Coote 421 7777 and Adam Jeffrey, Telstra National Communications Manager on (02) 204 0741