Prisoners are entitled to confidential meetings with professionals through in person visits, non-contact “box” visits, phone or video calls.
Under exceptional circumstances where an in-person visit is needed (for example, neurological assessments) this will be considered on a case-by case basis by the prison General Manager.
Professional services providers are:
- lawyers
- police
- psychologists
- Victorian Government Department employees
- medical professionals
- Ombudsman Victoria
- Health Services Commissioner
- Privacy Commissioner
- consular officials
- Independent Prison Visitors
- authorised Corrections Victoria staff.
To arrange a meeting or phone call with a prisoner contact the prison.
Legal practitioners and approved professional stakeholders can now use AVL Scheduler to make their bookings for video contact with a prisoner.
Attending a prison
Security procedures
Both personal and professional visitors will be subject to body scanning on entry to prisons.
Millimetre Wave Body Scanner
Millimetre wave technology (MMW) is a high-level radio frequency security scanner that emits radio waves. MMW has been introduced as an additional layer of security in prison gatehouses.
MMW emits no radiation and it is safe for all persons to enter the screener, including pregnant women and people with medical implants such as pace-makers and defibrillators.
Shoes, jackets and bulky outerwear are required to be removed to ensure the most effective and efficient scan is achieved. MMW body screeners are now in use at most passenger departure points at most Australian airports as well as international airports and other locations where high levels of security are required.
X-Ray Body Scanner
The X-ray body scanner produces an image of the whole body to show items that may be concealed by a person.
Shoes, jackets and bulky outerwear must be removed to ensure the most effective and efficient scan is achieved.
Persons undergoing the scan will be exposed to a very low dose of radiation. The radiation dose is minimal, comparable to routine activities in the community. For example, 400 scans over 12 months is equivalent to less than one medical chest X-ray.
Visitors under 18 years will not be scanned.
The Victorian Department of Health have advised that the scanners are safe for pregnant women and people with medical conditions to enter. Medical exemption certificates do not exempt people from being asked to go through the scanner.
The Victorian Department of Health also sets the maximum number of scans that an individual will receive. This is done in accordance with the Victorian Radiation Act 2005 (External link) and Radiation Regulations 2017 (External link).