The Dame Phyllis Frost Centre, Victoria’s largest women’s prison, is under the harshest spotlight. Since then, lockdowns have increasingly swept through prisons and jails, with alarming national reporting detailing how lockdowns are drastically worsening jail and prison conditions. Since July 2023, the facility has recorded at least 106 lockdowns, raising concerns about the safety and well-being of those incarcerated. In February 2022, Kelly Flanagan was incarcerated there. She painted a picture of the terrifying realities inside the facility, where incarcerated people were routinely left in solitary confinement-like conditions without contact, care, or food.
Flanagan’s stories bring further attention to the dangerous indifference that inmates routinely experience. She testified that despite this, on November 8 and November 11, there were days that no dinner had been served. The prison’s communications log reflects extensive disruption to these fundamental legal services. It details seven missed legal appointments and the cancellation of 28 housing-related meetings. These results put into question claims made by the Department of Justice and Community Safety (DJCS). They even argued that meals and legal visits had gone back to normal.
Conditions Inside the Facility
Flanagan’s account helps contextualize the psychological cost of endless lockdowns. She described the self-harm of other prisoners, including one who attempted suicide on March 13. In her diary, Flanagan chronicled seven suicide attempts in only four weeks. Her focus on a distressing trend of Indigenous women being sent to a specialized unit and while there, suffering from serious mental health issues, was equally compelling.
“I suffered really bad with my mental health with lockdowns. I cut my wrists on an occasion,” – Kelly Flanagan
When faced with her own medical situation, Flanagan shared her outrage about how women are treated within this private facility. She stated, “These are mothers and daughters, sisters and aunties, and I feel like they’re being treated like human garbage.” This sentiment resonates with many who advocate for prison reform, highlighting the urgent need for systemic changes within Victoria’s correctional system.
“To her, sharing her story is important because she wants to help other women who are living through what she was going through. “I feel like I owe it to the other women to give them a voice,” she stated, underscoring her commitment to raising awareness about the issues plaguing the institution.
Staff Concerns and Safety Issues
The increasing prevalence of lockdowns has taken a toll not only on inmates but on the prison staff. It’s been reported that four staff members were injured as a result of struggles with non-compliant prisoners. Just last week, two recently assaulted guards returned to the facility, a source told us. One guard was punched in the face, and another was spat upon.
“Four staff were injured yesterday due to non-compliant prisoners,” – Prison guards (texts to David Southwick)
For these reasons, the growing violence inside the prison has raised alarm bells with staff and their union leaders. More than 1,000 prison officers just announced their no confidence. In doing so, they defied the state’s Corrections Commissioner Larissa Strong, voting no confidence in her leadership. Today officers contend that the current environment is untenable and dangerous for both staff and incarcerated individuals.
Member of Parliament David Southwick denounced the government’s mismanagement of the prison system. “The prison system is in failure in Victoria,” he stated. Southwick underscored a lack of action by the government. He added, “It’s just insane that this government has let it get that far.”
Calls for Reform
What’s happening at Dame Phyllis Frost Centre has shed light on all the other systemic problems within Victoria’s prison system. An inquest into Veronica Nelson’s death in custody — two years before Flanagan’s incarceration — revealed shocking treatment by Corrections officers. This tragedy served as the catalyst for profound calls for reform at the facility. Advocates contend that even with these reforms, little has changed and too many women remain unprotected and at risk.
Adriana Mackay from the women’s support service Flat Out pointed to a concerning trend. The majority of these women have spent far longer than their scheduled release awaiting transfer to a different facility. She said that it’s taking a toll on their mental health and overall housing stability, noting.
“What we’re seeing on the ground versus what’s being told to us … they don’t match up,” – Adriana Mackay
Mackay highlighted the implications of missed legal appointments on housing offers, stating, “Housing offers will be rescinded and taken off the table, and we’re left really scrambling.”
