IF THE walls at Sunshine’s jail could talk, they would have many tales to tell.
Life behind the bars at the gazetted jail has been anything but quiet.
The Sunshine Police Station cells have been the scene of numerous attempted and succesful breakouts over the years, including one prisoner who escaped through the ceiling to the law courts next door and another who went walkabout after a door was accidentally left ajar.
In June last year the jail doubled as a maternity ward after a 22-year-old woman being held in the cells gave birth to a baby boy.
But the jail also has a dark side, with mentally disturbed prisoners occasionally attempting to harm themselves within its walls.
Senior Sergeant Mick Shaughnessy said offenders had attempted to strangle themselves with clothing or injure themselves by banging their heads against the cell walls.
“We are very security conscious and very vigilant about what we allow prisoners to bring into cells but we do get prisoners who tend to self harm using items in their cell,” Snr Sgt Shaughnessy said.
“Thankfully it’s not very often but it does happen.
“You’ve got to understand that many people held in jails have serious mental health issues. We’re dealing with people who are at the lowest ebb in their lives.
“But we do take prisoners safety very seriously.”
The jail can hold up to 13 prisoners overnight and can accommodate both male and female prisoners.
The cells are monitored 24 hours by cctv footage and police officers, including a custody sergeant and designated jailer.
Snr Sgt Shaughnessy said prisoners were treated humanely with access to shower and exercise facilities and even television.
He said the doors to the cells were usually kept open during the day with prisoners free to roam the cell block, watch television, or take the air in the outdoor exercise yard.
But high risk offenders including child molesters and drunks were sometimes isolated to protect them from other prisoners.
The prison is authorised to hold offenders for up to 14 days with the majority being held for court appearances at the nearby Sunshine Magistrate’s Court.
Prisoners are fed on the same food supplied to hospitals with schnitzel and potatoes a typical example of a pre-packaged meal.
