The time period is 5 years. The budgeting arrangements were hazy up until at least May 1990. The operational guidelines of the AVS have been approved by the Ministers for Corrective Services, Aboriginal Affairs and the Police Department. The guidelines bind AVS members to raise concerns in the first instance with the OIC of the prison or lockup. One visitor advised, in confidence, that the police only call the visitors in when there is an emergency in some lockups and that the visitors were not always called in when someone was placed in the padded cell.
People placed in the padded cell have their clothing removed.
Aboriginal visitors were for some time denied access to the Bandyup Women's Prison prior to May 1990, except in emergency circumstances. The reason for this was that it was felt the Visitors were 'over servicing' the prison. I said that that was totally unacceptable. The Management Unit of the AVS has discouraged visitors from sitting in on interviews of arrested persons because of the prospect of visitors being called as witnesses. Visitors do not feel comfortable assuming any pseudo-legal role as they do not have the legal training.