4512.0 - Corrective Services, Australia, Sep 2008  
ARCHIVED ISSUE Released at 11:30 AM (CANBERRA TIME) 27/11/2008   
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GLOSSARY

Bail

This is generally a pre-sentence option where a person is released into the community for a period before they appear in court for trial or final sentencing. Bail orders can require a financial surety to be lodged with the court, and a number of conditions including supervision and residential requirements designed to ensure the re-appearance of the person at court. Bail counts are available only in states and territories where bail orders are supervised by corrective services. Bail is a sub-category of Supervision where the person is under the supervision of corrective services (see Supervision).

Community-based corrections

This refers to the community-based management of court-ordered sanctions, post-prison administrative arrangements and fine conversions, which principally involve the provision of one or more of the following activities: supervision, programs or community work.

Community service

This category of community-based corrections orders includes sentencing options requiring offenders to undertake a specified number of hours of unpaid, supervised work to benefit the community on an approved project. Community service is a sub-category of Reparation (see Reparation).

Corrective services custody

Confinement in a place intended primarily for the purpose of confining prisoners, such as a prison, prison farm, Periodic Detention Centre or Community Custody Centre.

Federal sentenced prisoner

Persons charged and sentenced under a Commonwealth statute or transferred from another country to serve their sentence in Australia.

Fine option

A community-based sentence type where the offender is serving a sentence for default of a fine. In most jurisdictions this order type requires an offender to complete community service as a reparatory act. Fine option is a sub-category of Reparation (see Reparation).

Full-time prison custody

A type of custody where a prisoner is required to be held in custody on a full-time basis. This includes prisons, Queensland Community Custody Centres and work outreach camps. Full-time prison custody excludes periodic detention (see Periodic detention).

Home detention

(see Restricted movement)

Indigenous prisoner

A prisoner who identifies as being of Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander origin, or both.

Legal status

A person may be either sentenced or unsentenced depending on the warrant(s) or court order(s) that provide the legal basis for the administration of the person through the criminal justice system.

Open custody

Refers to prisoners housed in minimum security custodial facilities that do not require them to be confined by a secure perimeter physical barrier, irrespective of whether a physical barrier exists.

Parole

A parole order is made following a period of imprisonment and requires an offender to be subject to supervision in the community. Additional conditions may also be applied such as programs, counselling or drug testing. Parole is a sub-category of Supervision (see Supervision).

Periodic detention

A type of custody or order where a sentenced prisoner is required to be held in custody on a part-time basis. Currently this consists of two consecutive days in a one-week period, while remaining at liberty during the rest of the week.

Prisoner

A person held in custody. For the purposes of this collection, prisoners are those whose confinement is the responsibility of a corrective services agency.

Remand

(see Unsentenced)

Reparation

Reparation refers to all offenders with an order that requires them to undertake unpaid, justice agency-approved community service work.

Restricted movement

This refers to persons who are subject to a system of restricted movement, including supervision and/or electronic monitoring. This category includes home detention that may restrict residence to a nominated place. Restricted movement can be either a pre-sentence or post-sentence order.

Secure custody

Refers to prisoners housed in medium or maximum security custodial facilities requiring them to be confined by a secure physical barrier.

Sentenced

A legal status indicating that a person has received a custodial or community-based order from a court in response to a conviction for an offence.

Sentenced prisoner reception

Refers to entry into corrective services custody from the community, having received a sentence of imprisonment as an outcome of a court proceeding; or persons who are sentenced to custody while in custody on remand (i.e. changed status from a remand to a sentenced prisoner); or persons entering custody as a result of defaulting on the payment of a fine. Sentenced prisoners in custody who receive a further sentence of imprisonment are not counted as sentenced receptions.

Sentenced probation

A supervision order made following an original sentence handed down in court following conviction. A probation order generally requires 'good behaviour' and compliance with the directions of supervisors. The order may also require compliance with conditions such as program attendance and residential requirements.

Supervision (compliance)

This includes community-based orders other than those categorised as restricted movement or reparation (e.g. parole, bail and sentenced probation).

Unsentenced

A legal status indicating that a person is confined to custody or supervision while awaiting the outcome of their trial.