M.05.01 Reception risk assessment

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The purpose of the reception risk assessment is to identify the level of self harm risk that each prisoner presents at reception and to minimise this risk as quickly and safely as possible.

M.05.01.01 Reception risk assessment criteria

  1. The reception risk assessment must be undertaken following a prisoner’s:
    1. initial reception into custody, or
    2. reception upon returning to custody from
      1. bail, or
      2. parole (i.e. recalled to prison).
  2. The reception risk assessment must:
    1. have sections A to G completed within four (4) hours of the prisoner’s reception
    2. where practicable, be undertaken in an area that offers privacy from other prisoners and staff
    3. be undertaken by custodial staff who have received training in the administration of the reception risk assessment.

M.05.01.02 Pre risk assessment interview process

  1. Before the risk assessment interview, the custodial assessor (staff responsible for the assessment) must complete sections A and B of the Reception Risk Assessment in IOMS.
    1. Section A will pre-populate with the prisoner’s information in IOMS. If IOMS is unavailable, the information contained in the warrant should be used to complete the POM form M.05.01.Form.01 Reception risk assessment.
    2. Section B records all available secondary information that may provide information to assist in assessing the prisoner’s at-risk status. Staff must review this information and provide a summary of any at-risk indicators.

M.05.01.03 Risk assessment interview process

  1. The custodial assessor must complete sections C and D of the Reception Risk Assessment in IOMS during the interview.
    1. Section C: staff must ask the questions and accurately record the responses given by the prisoner during the interview.
    2. If the prisoner answered yes to question 6 in section C of the Reception Risk Assessment, consideration must be given to treating the prisoner as at-risk until further assessment is completed.
    3. Section D: as part of the interview, the assessor must answer all four questions, with supporting information that records a description of the behaviours the prisoner exhibited.

M.05.01.04 Custodial risk assessment

  1. The custodial assessor who interviewed the prisoner must:
    1. assess the information obtained from the interview
    2. cross reference the information obtained in sections C and D with information from secondary sources contained in section B of the Reception Risk Assessment.
  2. Taking into account all the available information, the custodial assessor must make an assessment of the at-risk status of the prisoner, and record their assessment decision in section E.
  3. The prisoner must be treated as at-risk if they cannot engage in the Reception Risk Assessment process because:
    1. they are intoxicated
    2. they have a limited understanding of English
    3. they have a disability
    4. some other reason inhibits their participation in the initial assessment.
  4. Prisoners assessed as at-risk must be placed on observations not exceeding 15 minutes (and managed as per POM M.05.03 Observing and managing at-risk prisoners).
    Note: If an at-risk prisoner is also subject to a segregation direction for the purpose of medical oversight, they will also need to be managed as per the requirements of segregation under section 60 (1) of the Corrections Act 2004.
  5. Prisoners not assessed as being at risk (at Section E) are placed into a holding cell pending consultation with health staff.

M.05.01.05 Consultation with health staff

  1. The custodial assessor must consult with health staff, and record in section F of the Reception Risk Assessment, the:
    1. summary of discussion and record of health staff evaluation
    2. assessment decision by health staff (following their interview with the prisoner)
    3. name of the health staff with whom the discussion took place, and
    4. time of the discussion
  2. The custodial assessor must record one of the following three results, and any comments in section G of the Reception Risk Assessment:
    1. AT RISK
      Health staff and the custodial assessor agree that the prisoner is at-risk. The prisoner is to be:
      1. placed on observations not exceeding 15 minutes (and managed as per POM M.05.03 Observing and managing at-risk prisoners)
      2. moved to the Intervention and Support Unit (ISU).
        Consideration

        If an at-risk prisoner is also subject to a segregation direction for the purpose of medical oversight, they will also need to be managed as per the requirements of segregation under section 60 (1) of the Corrections Act 2004.

    2. NO APPARENT RISK AT THIS TIME
      Health staff and the custodial assessor agree that there are no apparent risks identified at this time. The prisoner continues with the normal induction process.
    3. NO AGREEMENT
      Health staff and the custodial assessor cannot agree on the at-risk status of the prisoner. The matter must then be referred to the delegated PCO / Tier 5 manager on duty, who must reassess the case with either the health team leader or Health Centre Manager. Pending the decision, the prisoner is to be managed as at-risk.
      Watch Point

      For cases where there is no agreement the prisoner is to be managed as AT RISK until reassessed by the health team leader / Health Centre Manager and delegated PCO / Tier 5 manager.

      The prisoner is to be:

      • placed on observation not exceeding 15 minutes
      • moved to the Intervention and Support Unit.

      This is especially important if there is any delay in completing the 'no agreement referral' process

  3. The custodial assessor must ensure RISK OF SUICIDE ALERT is placed on IOMS for any prisoner who has a history of self harming behaviour and/or attempted suicide. This alert is to remain active up to the prisoners sentence release date.

M.05.01.06 No agreement referrals

  1. The delegated PCO / Tier 5 manager on duty:
    1. must reassess the case with either the health team leader or Health Centre Manager to determine the prisoner’s at-risk status within 24 hours of the prisoner’s initial reception
    2. must complete section H of the Reception Risk Assessment.
    3. must include:
      1. any information used to reach the decision (including information gained from their reassessment with health staff and their own interview with the prisoner)
      2. the at risk status decision, i.e. at risk (remain in the Intervention and Support Unit (ISU), update IOMS), or no apparent risk at this time (continue with induction, if not completed, or move prisoner to unit).