Security tightened at NSW prisons following smoking ban

New South Wales prisons have gone no smoking zones. Riot squads have been posted in case of an unrest similar to the one that took place when Victoria introduced a similar rule. The ban on cigarettes and tobacco, including e-cigarettes, matches and lighters, within the jail premises, car parks, outdoor areas of the correctional centres and visitor processing areas becomes effective on Monday.

“If things do go wrong, we need to be prepared for that as well because we certainly don’t want to have a repeat of what happened in Victoria,” Corrective Services NSW commissioner Peter Severin told ABC Radio on Monday. Prisoners of the Melbourne’s Metropolitan remand centre in Ravenhall wrecked walls, fences and doors and damaged the heating systems and the fire alarm following the ban on smoking early in July. The total damage was estimated at AU$12 million.

“This is the modern world – this is just one of many, many policies which prisoners may find unpalatable, but the fact of the matter is if you want freedom of choice, don’t go to jail,” NSW corrective services minister David Elliott told 2GB Radio.

Severin added that prison officers have been directed to not smoke in front of the inmates. The staff who live in the prison compounds are allowed to smoke outdoors when they are off-duty and are well out of sight of the inmates. The Corrective Services said in a statement that the inmates have been provided a range of indoor and outdoor activities to act as an alternative to smoking.

Elliott told reporters that so far there has not been any trouble following the implementation of the policy. He also said that it is fortunate to have immediate-action teams in NSW that are trained to provide security and help the staff in dealing with serious situations.

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