Long Bay Correctional Centre
Encyclopedia
Long Bay Correctional Complex is located in the suburb of Malabar
in Sydney
, New South Wales
, Australia
. Long Bay comprises six institutions, four maximum security and two minimum security.
. The State Reformatory for Women was opened in 1909 and the State Penitentiary for Men was opened beside it in 1914. The reformatory became part of the prison in the late 1950s, known as the Long Bay Penitentiary. The women's prison was vacated after Mulawa Correctional Centre opened in 1969 at Silverwater.
A large part of the maximum security area is a transit area where prisoners await a bed in their gaol of classification, or stay whilst obtaining medical treatment/surgery, or are held on remand whilst awaiting trial.
'Metropolitan Medical Transit Centre/LBH2' was a maximum security facility used to hold inmates who had been discharged from Long Bay Hospital or were awaiting medical appointments. Since closure in January 2006 the MSPC now undertakes the role of housing inmates receiving medical treatment. The MMTC re-opened in 2009 but now holds general population inmates.
and Justice Health (NSW Department of Health). The hospital became operational in July 2008, replacing the old Long Bay Hospital which was completely demolished in October 2008. The site of the old Long Bay Hospital is now the Long Bay Forensic Hospital, which took its first patients in late November, 2008.
The old hospital was prominent in the news in January 2006 when inmate Robert Cole lost 14 kg in weight and slipped through the bars of his 'A' ward cell. Cole was recaptured three days later at Bondi Junction.
prison block built in 1975. Dubbed the "electronic zoo" by inmates, "Katingal" was designed essentially as a purpose built total Maximum Security institution. However, some inmates claimed that its true purpose was to engage in a form of sensory deprivation. The facility with its 40 prison cells had electronically operated doors, accompanied with several surveillance cameras,which were to supplement the existent security facilities within the Unit. Although the Unit did not have windows, it was serviced by a fully integrated air-conditioning system which circulated fresh air throughout. Additionally,inmates were permitted to engage in physical exercise in two purpose built yards situated at each end of the Unit.
Katingal was not escape-proof. There existed several 'blind spots' which were not corrected during the initial design phase. Consequently, an inmate, Russell 'Mad Dog' Cox, an armed robber and hostage-taker, took advantage of one of these 'blind spots' making good his escape from Katingal after cutting through a bar on the roof of one of the exercise yards.
Malabar, New South Wales
Malabar is a suburb in south-eastern Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Malabar is located 12 kilometres south-east of the Sydney central business district, in the local government area of the City of Randwick.-Location:...
in Sydney
Sydney
Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
, New South Wales
New South Wales
New South Wales is a state of :Australia, located in the east of the country. It is bordered by Queensland, Victoria and South Australia to the north, south and west respectively. To the east, the state is bordered by the Tasman Sea, which forms part of the Pacific Ocean. New South Wales...
, Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
. Long Bay comprises six institutions, four maximum security and two minimum security.
History
Long Bay was opened due to the imminent closure of Darlinghurst GaolDarlinghurst Gaol
Darlinghurst Gaol was an Australian prison located in Darlinghurst, New South Wales. The site is bordered by Victoria, Burton and Forbes streets, with entrances on Forbes and Burton Streets.-History:...
. The State Reformatory for Women was opened in 1909 and the State Penitentiary for Men was opened beside it in 1914. The reformatory became part of the prison in the late 1950s, known as the Long Bay Penitentiary. The women's prison was vacated after Mulawa Correctional Centre opened in 1969 at Silverwater.
Metropolitan Special Programs Centre
Until recently called the 'Malabar Special Programs Centre', the MSPC is a maximum through to minimum security facility which houses many different types of inmates. It is the second largest gaol (in terms of inmate population) in the state of New South Wales, with a current inmate population around 1200. It is a jack-of-all-trades holding remand inmates, medical transients (inmates undertaking medical treatment), inmates with short sentences and inmates undertaking programs. The programs areas of the gaol comprises the Violent Offenders Therapeutic Program, Developmentally Delayed Program, Lifestyles Unit (for HIV-positive inmates), which has been unused and empty since 2002, the Kevin Waller Unit for at-risk female inmates (currently used for aged males), ACMU for active suicidal prisoners, Multi Purpose Unit (high risk inmates on segregation orders and inmates requiring non association for safety) and CUBIT (CUstody Based Intensive Therapy) sex offenders program.A large part of the maximum security area is a transit area where prisoners await a bed in their gaol of classification, or stay whilst obtaining medical treatment/surgery, or are held on remand whilst awaiting trial.
'Metropolitan Medical Transit Centre/LBH2' was a maximum security facility used to hold inmates who had been discharged from Long Bay Hospital or were awaiting medical appointments. Since closure in January 2006 the MSPC now undertakes the role of housing inmates receiving medical treatment. The MMTC re-opened in 2009 but now holds general population inmates.
Industrial Training Centre/MSPC 3
This gaol is now under the control of the Metro Special Programs Centre and is known as MSPC 3. It now contains sex offenders, main stream (General Population), low security classification inmates and inmates with alcohol and other drug issues.Long Bay Hospital
The new Long Bay Hospital is a maximum security facility which holds a total of 120 inmate patients in four wards. It is jointly administered by the Department of Corrective ServicesDepartment of Corrective Services
Corrective Services NSW is an agency of the Government of New South Wales that provides custodial and community-based services as an important element of the criminal justice system...
and Justice Health (NSW Department of Health). The hospital became operational in July 2008, replacing the old Long Bay Hospital which was completely demolished in October 2008. The site of the old Long Bay Hospital is now the Long Bay Forensic Hospital, which took its first patients in late November, 2008.
The old hospital was prominent in the news in January 2006 when inmate Robert Cole lost 14 kg in weight and slipped through the bars of his 'A' ward cell. Cole was recaptured three days later at Bondi Junction.
Special Purpose Centre
'Special Purpose Centre' is a maximum security facility which holds inmates requiring special protection. The identities of inmates housed in this location are not disclosed and staff working there must sign confidentiality agreements.Katingal facility
Long Bay is probably best remembered for its Katingal facility, a prominent supermaxSupermax
Supermax is the name used to describe "control-unit" prisons, or units within prisons, which represent the most secure levels of custody in the prison systems of certain countries...
prison block built in 1975. Dubbed the "electronic zoo" by inmates, "Katingal" was designed essentially as a purpose built total Maximum Security institution. However, some inmates claimed that its true purpose was to engage in a form of sensory deprivation. The facility with its 40 prison cells had electronically operated doors, accompanied with several surveillance cameras,which were to supplement the existent security facilities within the Unit. Although the Unit did not have windows, it was serviced by a fully integrated air-conditioning system which circulated fresh air throughout. Additionally,inmates were permitted to engage in physical exercise in two purpose built yards situated at each end of the Unit.
Katingal was not escape-proof. There existed several 'blind spots' which were not corrected during the initial design phase. Consequently, an inmate, Russell 'Mad Dog' Cox, an armed robber and hostage-taker, took advantage of one of these 'blind spots' making good his escape from Katingal after cutting through a bar on the roof of one of the exercise yards.
Notable prisoners
- Rodney AdlerRodney AdlerRodney Stephens Adler is an Australian businessman and former director of telecommunications company One.Tel and insurance company HIH, both of which collapsed in 2001. He was jailed in 2005 for his conduct related to the collapse of HIH....
, businessman - Darcy DuganDarcy DuganDarcy Ezekial Dugan was an Australian bank robber and New South Wales' most notorious prison escape artist.Darcy Dugan grew up in the inner suburb of Annandale in Sydney. During his criminal career, he committed numerous armed holdups, robbing banks and even a hospital...
, armed robber - Neddy SmithNeddy SmithArthur Stanley "Neddy" Smith is an Australian criminal who has been convicted of rape, armed robbery and murder.Smith has been serving a life sentence since 1989 and is presently imprisoned in Long Bay Correctional Centre after being moved from Lithgow Correctional Centre in New South Wales,...
, gangster - René RivkinRene RivkinRene Rivkin was an Australian entrepreneur, investor, investment adviser, and stockbroker. He was a well-known stockbroker in Australia for many years until his death in 2005.-Early life:...
(deceased) businessman - Simon TownsendSimon TownsendSimon Townsend is an Australian journalist who became a popular television host during the 1980s. He is currently a tutor in journalism.-Vietnam War Conscientious Objector:...
, journalist and conscientious objectorConscientious objectorA conscientious objector is an "individual who has claimed the right to refuse to perform military service" on the grounds of freedom of thought, conscience, and/or religion.... - Milton OrkopoulosMilton OrkopoulosMilton Orkopoulos is a former Australian Labor Party politician, and convicted criminal. A member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly from 1999, Orkopoulos was appointed Minister for Aboriginal Affairs and Minister Assisting the Premier on Citizenship in August 2005.In November 2006, New...
, former Australian Labor Party politician - Jai AbbertonJai AbbertonJai Abberton , an Australian former professional surfer, is a member of the Australian surf tribe, the Bra Boys. He rose to local prominence in 2005, when he was charged but found not guilty of the 2003 murder of stand-over man, Anthony 'Tony' Hines...
, Bra BoyBra BoysThe Bra Boys is an Australian surf gang founded and based in Maroubra, an eastern suburb of Sydney, New South Wales. Dating back to the 1990s, the gang has gained notoriety through violent clashes with members of the public and police...