Junee prison numbers surge towards 1,000 after transfers complete

JUNEE Correctional Centre is rapidly filling up following the completion of prisoner transfers from Goulburn, with the number of inmates being housed at the Riverina prison surging to almost 1,000.

Figures presented during a three-day coronial inquest in September revealed the prison’s population was expected to climb to an operational capacity of 944 in October, almost 200 more than the figure recorded the previous month.

The transfer of approximately 100 prisoners from Goulburn Correctional Centre saw numbers at Junee climb to 820 by the end of September, leaving just 124 places available under its current operational capacity.

However, those remaining places had already been allocated to prisoners classified for placement at Junee from correctional centres across NSW.

READ MORE: New correctional officers graduate at Junee jail

The influx represents a significant increase in prisoner numbers at Junee, which has been operating with a reduced population since returning to public management last year.

Despite the increase, the prison remains well below its maximum physical capacity.

The facility can accommodate approximately 1,280 inmates across its maximum, medium and minimum-security accommodation areas, around 336 more than its current operational capacity of 944.

The operational figure reflects the number of prisoner places currently available for use, rather than the facility’s maximum accommodation capacity.

There has been no confirmed announcement of plans to activate the remaining capacity.

Major expansion underway

The increase follows the NSW Government’s decision to close four ageing accommodation wings at Goulburn Correctional Centre, with approximately 170 prisoners relocated to facilities across the state.

The Victorian-era maximum-security wings, dating back to the late 19th century, were closed by the end of September as part of efforts to retire outdated prison infrastructure.

Approximately 100 inmates were transferred to Junee, with Corrective Services NSW confirming the Goulburn relocation program has been completed.

The changes mark another significant stage in the prison’s transition to public management.

Junee Correctional Centre was operated by the GEO Group for more than three decades before the NSW Government assumed control in 2025.

During the transition, the prison operated with a substantially reduced inmate population while new staffing and operational arrangements were established.

The latest transfers represent a significant step towards increasing the facility’s utilisation under the public operating model.

Corrective Services NSW says increasing prisoner numbers and employing additional staff have always been part of its plans for Junee.

The department confirmed in September that 14 correctional officers had recently commenced duties at the facility, with further recruitment continuing.

A further announcement on October 15 confirmed that 16 correctional officers had been formally welcomed into the Corrective Services NSW workforce during an attestation ceremony hosted at Junee earlier in the month.

Concerns over mental health services

However, the growing inmate population comes amid concerns about the availability of specialist mental health services at the prison.

A recent coronial inquest into the February 2023 death of prisoner Alexander Gavranic revealed serious deficiencies in the prison’s mental health referral system and the resources available to inmates seeking treatment.

In findings delivered on October 14, Deputy State Coroner Derek Lee warned that demand for mental health services already exceeded available resources.

READ MORE: Coroner finds serious failures after death at Junee jail

The court heard the facility had two mental health clinical nurse specialists working Monday to Friday, supported by a visiting psychiatrist attending two days per fortnight.

The coroner warned that the increasing prisoner population was likely to place further pressure on the overstretched system.

He recommended that the prison’s governor use the findings to support future funding submissions aimed at increasing mental health staffing.

With the Goulburn transfers now complete and the prison’s population continuing to grow, attention is turning to whether staffing and essential services can keep pace with the expansion.