By NOEL MURPHY
A day in jail each month might do the average citizen a bit of good, according to Geelong’s Frank Covill.
For years he’s been talking with prisoners and prison staff, watching how Barwon Prison runs, observing its programs and reporting his findings back to State Government.
As an independent prison visitor (IPV), the former Geelong Grammar boarding schoolmaster, is part of a scheme that he says seeks a realistic, balanced non-political or public-service opinon on prisons.
“The IPV has complete access to all parts of the prison and to the prisoners, staff, education and program providers, contractors and so on,” he said.
“IPVs visit their one prison but, with some 40 operating over 14 prisons, an amalgam of their views is a substantial and disinterested picture of what’s really going on.”
Department of Justice’s IPV program reports to the Minister for Corrections.
Mr Covill said the IPV could “cajole, embarrass, query and occasionally benefit an individual”.
“The main benefit is providing the minister with facts laced with a community view on what we see.”
Mr Covill said prisoner rehabilitation was “of real concern to all” but the community should make more effort with children before they reached school age to keep them out of jail.
“Once in prison it’s very hard to break out of the mould and it can too easily become a way of life,” he said.
“I’ve noticed improvement in the last 15 years, with fewer seeing incarceration as the solution.
“There has been a definite movement away from warehousing and toward preparation for life outside the gate. Now there are more programs and a better understanding of why prisoners become recidivists.
“Too many people are sent to jail. It would be far better to curtail freedoms and punish in other ways and save gaol for those who might physically harm others.”
Mr Covill said many prisoners spoke to him about staff treatment, demands made on them, programs available and the establishment’s lack of respect depsite its duty of care for them.
The Geelong region hosts two of Victoria’s main prisons. Barwon Prison accommodates up to 423 high-risk and maximum security prisoners, while neighbouring Margoneet Correctional Centre has 394 medium-security beds.
Information about IPV volunteering opportunities is available at justice.vic.gov.au.
