The relevance of the United Nations Mandela Rules for Australian prisons

Abstract

In 2015, the United Nations updated the Standard Minimum Rules for the Treatment of Prisoners and named them the Mandela Rules. The Standard Guidelines for Corrections in Australia were based on the previous version of the Rules. This article outlines Australia’s non-compliance with the rules and need to update the Guidelines in five areas: (1) imprisoning people with cognitive disabilities who have not been convicted, (2) solitary confinement, (3) bodily searches, (4) use of restraints, and (5) provision of equivalent medical treatment.