Yatala Prison Today
The prison holds high, medium and low security prisoners, and is South Australia's main induction and reception prison for male prisoners. It still retains industry facilities that are the largest in the South Australian prison system, and is run by the South Australian government's Department for Correctional Services. Some of the original buildings and parts of old equipment can still be seen from a creek level walking trail, between the prison and new suburb of Walkley Heights. These include guard towers, quarries, a blacksmith's shop and a gunpowder magazine
The prison is divided into four units:
- B-Division – high and medium security, and prisoners requiring protection.
- E-Division – all security classifications for assessment, prisoner induction.
- F-Division – working division close to the prisons industries facilities.
- G-Division – highest security section of the prison.
Yatala is reported as having 500 prisoners in a facility designed for 341. The prison was planned to be closed when a new prison at Mobilong was completed, though some buildings will be retained for their historic values. It was expected that the closure will happen by 2011, and the land developed for residential housing but this has been canceled. No current funding has been put in place for the new prison, therefore the land redevelopment will not occur as previously noted.
The new roster is getting implemented on 2 July 2011.
Read more about this topic: Yatala Labour Prison
Famous quotes containing the words yatala, prison and/or today:
“In the weltering hell of the Moorooroo plain
The Yatala Wangary withers and dies,
And the Worrow Wanilla, demented with pain,
To the Woolgoolga woodlands
Despairingly flies.”
—Mark Twain [Samuel Langhorne Clemens] (1835–1910)
“People have passed through a very dark tunnel at the end of which there was a light of freedom. Unexpectedly they passed through the prison gates and found themselves in a square. They are now free and they don’t know where to go.”
—Václav Havel (b. 1936)
“Hear, O Israel: The LORD is our God, the LORD alone; You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your might. Keep these words that I am commanding you today in your heart. Recite them to your children and talk about them when you are at home and when you are away, when you lie down and when you rise. Bind them as a sign on your hand, fix them as an emblem on your forehead, and write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.”
—Bible: Hebrew, Deuteronomy 6:4-9.