FORMER Grant District Mayor and politician Don Pegler says he was given an ironclad guarantee that released inmates from the Mount Gambier Prison would be forced to return to their place of residence.
“I definitely would have not supported the prison expansion without this guarantee,” Mr Pegler said yesterday.
If this commitment was not being enforced, he described it as a “backward step” for the Mount Gambier community.
“The community was given a guarantee with the expansion of the jail.”
Standing outside the prison’s perimeter fence yesterday, the long-serving community leader said he was shocked to learn some prisoners – who had not committed their crimes in Mount Gambier – were being released into the Blue Lake city.
While the prison housed only 128 prisoners in 2012, it now has a capacity to accommodate 630 prisoners.
The low to medium security correctional facility is now the second largest in the state.
The issue is placing pressure on police resources given a number of released prisoners – not from Mount Gambier – have committed violent acts and crime sprees in the Blue Lake city.
Mr Pegler – who was mayor for 13 years and was elected to parliament in 2010 for one term – said he was guaranteed by the minister at the time that all sex offenders would be sent to Adelaide and “never come back at all.”
He revealed a similar promise was made regarding other released prisoners who would also be returned to their place of residence.
“If they committed their crime in Adelaide, Whyalla, Port Pirie or somewhere else, they would not be released here. Only locals would be released here,” Mr Pegler said.
“I did check this was happening and it was occurring. They had really strict protocols at that time.”
Mr Pegler – who was an outspoken mayor – said it now appeared authorities were putting the prison release issue into “the too hard basket”.
However, he conceded he was concerned – when he was serving as mayor and a MP – that “undesirable” family members and associates of inmates were relocating to Mount Gambier.
“But as a community we had to wear that a bit, but at the time there were only two to three families,” Mr Pegler said.
Mr Pegler said the community had the right to know what impact the prison expansion was having on the community and resources.
Moreover, he also questioned whether there was lack of support services in the Mount Gambier for released prisoners.
“If there not enough resources, it is not good for them (the former prisoner) or the community,” Mr Pegler said.
He said community transitional services were critical in ensuring released prisoners “take steps forward” and did not re-offend and become re-incarcerated.
Mr Pegler’s comments follow concerns flowing from Member for Mount Gambier Troy Bell who has called for an in-depth study into released prisoner movements.
A Mount Gambier City Council high ranking delegation is also scheduled to meet with Correctional Services Minister Corey Wingard next month on the issue.
This follows a number of elected members raising a red flag over the fact prisoners were not being relocated back to their place of residence.
The Department for Correctional Services says it has “no more to add on this issue”.
This is despite conceding its long-standing agreement that prisoners are returned home is not enforceable.
