Three men escape from gaol

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2548 police escapees OKPolice are searching for three men who escaped from the Alice Springs Correctional Facility overnight.
 
Acting Superintendent Pauline Vicary says the they left the low-level security facility sometime between 8.30pm yesterday and 6am today.
 
“We are searching for Randall Dixon, Manfred Connelly and Herbert Young,” she says.
 
“The men (pictured) are of Aboriginal appearance and were last seen wearing yellow and green t-shirts and jumpers and tan cargo pants and navy blue sneakers or black boots.
 
“Police are patrolling locations the escapees are linked to. This is timely reminder to ensure your home and vehicles are secured and to put your valuable items out of sight.
 
“Travellers or motorists who may see the men are urged to contact police on 131 444 or 1800 333 000 and report their location and not provide any transport.”
 

– Police media release.

 
 
UPDATE 12.50pm: Randall Dixon and Herbert Young have been arrested. Only Manfred Connelly (left photo) is still at large.
 
 
 
UPDATE 3.45pm June 7: Police have arrested the third man “within the area of Alice Springs”.
 
 
 

7 COMMENTS

  1. Are the low risk inmates fitted with ankle bracelets? If not it might be a good idea so they are easier to find.
    Maybe even place some sneaky motion detectors around the place too … but hey, everything cost money and the government doesn’t have any.
    So I’m sure it will happen many more times maybe we should all get used to it (much like most of the stuff that happens around the Alice).

  2. For prisoners to be free for such a long time without their absence noticed makes me think that the low level security section (The Cottages) is once again not manned overnight.
    Historically The Cottages were not manned overnight.
    At that time the main problem was break-ins of male and female friends and family of inmates visiting at night time.
    Grog and gunja parties were not uncommon as visitors only needed to drive down the highway and then walk a few hundred metres into the open facility.
    By the time guards arrived for the morning muster everything seemed normal.
    Then an electronic fence was constructed and the breakout reported here suggests that the facility is once again unmanned overnight.
    If not then it is certainly undermanned.

  3. Low level security for the Cottages is appropriate, indeed important, part of educating and assessing residents.
    Video is needed to monitor movements outside theCottages along with various options to respond, even some low level internal monitoring.
    While many informally learn to live comfortably in a home, accepting balance of rules and rewards, it is something many inmates failed to learn.
    IMHO we need to extend village accommodation approach, with more self-contained single person units, with structured releases for various appropriate daily activities.
    Each stage of release onto parole, to full release, needs to encourage living in units, from the Cottage to town or community. Each needs support and follow up.
    Each benefit felt contributes to learning and moderation.

  4. Amazing amount of knowledge of prison procedures expressed possibly balanced only by the complete lack of knowledge and understanding of how the cottage facility works.
    It is possibly not surprising if your knowledge base is gleaned from 4 Corners or from a friend who knows somebody that once worked or visited there.

  5. Paul Parker: Yes, low level security is appropriate but only for low security prisoners.
    The prison is overcrowded and holding far more prisoners than its design capacity.
    Medium security prisoners cannot always be housed in the medium security section of the prison.
    They are sometimes sent to the low security cottages.
    Similarly only low security prisoners are supposed to be in work gangs etc, but we see from escapes that this is not always the case.
    This mistake cost CEO Ken Middlebrook his job but it could happen again.
    So while low security is appropriate for low security prisoners it is highly inappropriate for medium security ones.

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