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Parramatta Correctional Centre
Location	Parramatta, New South Wales
Status	Operational
Security class	Medium (Male)
Capacity	approx. 600
Opened	1842
Managed by	NSW Department of Corrective Services

A prison guard on lookout in the watchtower at Parramatta Jail

Parramatta Correctional Centre is a medium security short term Remand Centre, Transient Centre and Metropolitan Periodic Detention Centre. It houses unsentenced and sentenced B and C classification male inmates, including Drug Court Sanctions and male periodic detainees. It is located 22 km north-west of the Sydney central business district.

Parramatta Correctional Centre is Australia's oldest serving Correctional Centre. Parramatta Gaol was formally proclaimed on 2 January 1842 with progressive opening of wings up until approximately 1910. It was closed from 1918 to 1922 and again for a short period in 1997/1998.

[edit] Visit times

8:45am, 9:15am, 9:45am, 10:15am, 12:45pm, 1:15pm, 1:45pm, and 2:15pm.

[edit] Conditions

Mondays: No contact or legal visits. Tuesdays & Wednesdays: Legal Visits only. Thursday to Sunday & Public Holidays: Contact and Legal Visits

[edit] Industries

Parramatta has employment for approximately 180 inmates, including 45 who are employed in the "Technology Business Unit", which repairs electrical appliances for refurbishment.

[edit] Education

Education is currently serviced by two Education Officers, one full time and five part time teachers. There are a number of vocational training programs available at the centre, including:

basic numeracy and literacy computing music aboriginal studies and art

There is also a wide range of courses run through TAFE and OTEN including:

electronics First Aid Green Card (Occupational Health & Safety)

[edit] Welfare Services

Welfare is currently serviced by three Welfare Officers, who offer assistance to inmates in crisis welfare issues, including housing and family issues. They also provide inmates with contact with community agencies, including Housing Department, DOCS, Centrelink and Legal Services.

[edit] Psychology Services

Psychology is currently serviced by two Psychologists, addressing inmates' needs in the area of crisis intervention, at risk, suicidal, stress management, anger management, mental health issues, general counselling for any other issues and factors relating to their offending behaviour.

[edit] Alcohol and Other Drugs (AOD)

AOD is currently serviced by two Alcohol and Other Drug Workers and they run numerous programs, including Relapse Prevention, HIV Health Promotion, AA/NA groups and one on one counselling.

[edit] Religious Services

The centre has one full time Chaplain, who services all denominations and a number of visiting chaplains also attend the centre regularly. Church services are run daily and a Sunday morning service.

[edit] Drug Court Program

The first Australian Drug Court opened at Parramatta in February 1999. The Drug Court is a government initiative, which provides an opportunity for drug dependent offenders to participate in an intensive community based rehabilitation scheme.

4 Wing has facilities to accommodate up to 18 inmates on the Drug Court Program and the inmates are kept separated from the main stream population.