CAQA Ridgeway Correctional Centre
Ridgeway Correctional Centre is a medium security correctional facility for adult male offenders, operated under a services agreement with the state corrective services agency. The centre holds up to 640 sentenced and remand prisoners across six accommodation units, an assessment and reception unit and a minimum security work camp. Ridgeway provides custodial supervision, case management, offender programs, education and vocational training, health referral, visits, escorts to court and medical appointments, and community based supervision of offenders on parole and community work orders through its Maitland office.
The centre runs 24 hours a day on a three-shift rotation. Custodial Operations staffs the accommodation units, the yards and the industries workshops. Security and Intelligence runs the gatehouse, the central monitoring station, searches and the intelligence function. Offender Services delivers case management, programs and reintegration planning. Reception, Records and Escorts manages inductions, sentence records, property and all movements outside the fence. Health, Safety and Wellbeing and Corporate Services support every other unit. Each shift starts with a briefing in the muster room and ends with a written handover.
Ridgeway is inspected by the Inspector of Custodial Services and reports monthly to the contract manager against performance measures for security, safety, programs and complaints. Every incident is recorded, classified and reviewed within 24 hours. Use of force is governed by a strict policy, is always reported and is reviewed by the General Manager. The centre holds an accredited safety management system, keeps a live hazard and risk register, and requires every officer to hold current accreditation in defensive tactics, first aid and fire response before working a post.