19 June 1991
Mr Marshall Perron
Chief Minister
Northern Territory Government
Darwin NT
Dear Mr Perron,
N.T. PRISON POLICY.
During a recent visit to Central Australia I learnt via the radio
that your government is planning the construction of a new jail
to the south of Alice Springs. I understand that the jail is
intended to imprison some two hundred people and that 60 to 70
percent of these will be Aboriginal people.
There was a call, as I recollect the program, for advice on how
to construct a cultural appropriate jail for Aboriginal people.
Mr Perron, there is no such thing as a cultural appropriate jail
for Aboriginal people. The expression is a contradiction in
terms. Aboriginal cultural practice did not separate people from
their families nor from their living country. Aboriginal people
finding themselves in this position have passed judgement on this
European institutionalisation with their lives.
During my stay in the Centre I also read the opinion of an
experienced prison administrator that there was no possibility
of rehabiliation of people during imprisonment in Northern
Territory jails. This being so, the jails merely become breeding
grounds for various ills - both social and physical.
This combination of factors points, to my way of thinking, to one
conclusion. That is, the social experiment of locking people away
in highly centralised prisons is a failure.
I suggest to you that it is irresponsible to be considering the
construction of additional jails at this time.
There are other possibilities worthy of exploration such as
recognising and adequately funding the community justice systems
which have existed in Aboriginal life since time immemorial.
Could you advise me of your government's policy on this matter?
Yours truly
Bruce Reyburn
cc Mr B. Ede