Sydney’s Silverwater prison expanded with new technology to watch prisoners
The prison population at Silverwater Correction Centre is about to swell with the opening of a new block which can house more than 400 new inmates.
The expansion will also incorporate artificial intelligence, to keep an extra eye on prisoners at the facility in Western Sydney.
There are $250 million dollars worth of facilities, exercise equipment medical cells and 440 new places for maximum security prisoners.
The expansion makes Silverwater the country’s largest remand prison, but it might not be at capacity for a while yet.
Coronavirus has seen a drop off in the prison population, and the state’s jails aren’t full.
Among the new cells, more than 100 are for high risk prisoners, who can be watched at all times through the glass, and can also be monitored constantly through CCTV cameras.
Eventually the technology will be so good it can even tell when a prisoner’s breathing becomes erratic, so prison officers can step in.
Commissioner Peter Severin said: “Some might be here for a while until their court case is finished. Some may be here for a short time.”
Using technology in a smart way in a prison , not only assures that staff can do what they are employed to do that is manage prisoners rather than just stand and watch things 54.”
The first inmates will move in on May 10.
