Prisoners help maintain district cemeteries

Toowoomba Regional Council (TRC) and Darling Downs Correctional Centre have joined forces in a community service program that benefits both prisoners and ratepayers.

In what is a win-win arrangement, four low custody prisoners help maintain the cemetery grounds at Pittsworth, Westbrook, Clifton, Greenmount, Nobby, Glencoe and Meringandan West.

The fully supervised prisoners work in conjunction with council staff in maintaining cemetery lawns and grounds but do not carry out any maintenance on headstones.

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Low custody prisoners from the Darling Downs Correctional Centre carry out maintenance work at Pittsworth Cemetery.

Cultural, Heritage and Facilities Services portfolio leader Cr Ros Scotney applauded the initiative and its benefits to the community.

"This is a marvellous program and such a practical and worthy contribution to our cemetery maintenance program.

"None of us likes to see the cemeteries getting overgrown and this is one way to lessen the burden on council's maintenance staff while also assisting these prisoners in their rehabilitation," Cr Scotney said.

The prisoners undertake a five-week work rotation, spending a day a week at a cemetery under the watchful eye of their supervising officer.

Deputy General Manager of the Darling Downs Correctional Centre Michael Rayner said this and other community service projects provided the prisoners job-ready skills and prepared them for release back into their communities.

"The Centre has a strong focus on community service. This was an ideal opportunity to partner with Toowoomba Regional Council to provide a direct link to rural communities, especially in small towns.

"The prisoners are treated as workers and appreciated," Mr Rayner said.

Mr Rayner said the prisoners were assessed to come out into the community using a stringent and robust selection process.

"We see this project going on indefinitely and have never had any failures using this approach.

"This is part of a progression to a sponsored work program for these prisoners," he said.

He said other community service projects undertaken by the Correctional Centre included Landcare, Jondaryan Woolshed, Downs Steam and a number of one-off charity events.

TRC supplies necessary maintenance tools, health and safety equipment and fuel to operate the equipment while the Correctional Centre provides supervision and a vehicle.

Mr Rayner said disaster relief work undertaken in 2011 provided real benefits to the wellbeing of the prisoners and a change in their perceptions of the impact of their actions on the community.