VISITING PRISON
Visiting Risdon Prison
Visiting family in prison is important. Many studies have shown the value to offenders and their families through maintaining contact during a period of incarceration and demonstrated that regular visits do help offenders settle back into the community and a healthy home environment on release.
The Tasmania Prison Service encourages family and friends to keep in touch with prisoners throughout their sentence and has some excellent information on their website to assist families in understanding the visit process. Click here to go to the TPS website.
There are quite a few rules around visiting a prison and for first time visitors these can be quite daunting. The visits staff at the prison are very helpful and will able to answer most questions you will have. Rules about visiting can be found at the TPS website by following this link.
Getting to Risdon Prison
Risdon Prison is located on the East Derwent Hwy about 15 minutes from Hobart in South Eastern Tasmania. There is good a good bus service that operates regularly with a bus stop near the entrance to the prison
Visiting from a distance
With 46% of inmates families being located in the north of the state visiting the prison can be difficult for many people. Onesimus providesaccommodation for families how have travel a long distance and also offers a video visits program. See these links for more information.
Visiting Prison With Your Child
Visiting a parent or relative in prison is one way a child can stay in contact with them. Carers can help children to cope with separation by making it possible for them to visit their parents or relatives in prison. If you have not been to a prison visit before, you may find it helpful to make the initial visit on your own so that you will know what to expect. This may make it easier for you to prepare the children to visit.
Shine for Kids have produced some great information to help you decide whether or not to take children into visit a loved on in prison. And two our partner organisations, Save the Children and Communities for Children have produced some good books to support children with an incarcerated parent or loved one. Click on the links below for more details:
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Shine for Kids - Making visits positive and happy
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Communities for Children - Waiting for Dad
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Save the Children - Visiting Dad
For specific information about visiting Risdon Prison with children refer to the TPS webpage.