Borallon Correctional Centre

Borallon Correctional Centre was an Australian prison located on Ivan Lane, Borallon, Queensland, Australia, approximately 15 minutes from Ipswich. It was the first private correctional facility which operated in Australia. It had a capacity of 492 prisoners.

The prison was accredited by the Correctional Education Association (CEA). It was the first facility outside the United States to achieve this distinction. Borallon had also received ISO 9001 Quality Assurance certification, becoming the second prison in Australia to receive this certification. It was the first prison in the world to be endorsed to both CEA and ISO 9000 standards.

Whilst the prison buildings, equipment and land are owned by the Queensland Department of Corrective Services, Borallon Correctional Centre was originally operated by Corrections Corporation of Australia, an American company that runs many correctional facilities in the U.S. It opened on 2 January 1990. In September 2007, Serco Australia won the bid to take over management at the prison. The facility cost $22 million to construct.

The management company was responsible for the day to day running of the centre, financial management and the hiring of staff, within the bounds laid down by the Corrective Services Act 2000. Whilst they were not public servants, staff employed at Borallon Correctional Centre have the same powers and responsibilities as government prison counterparts with respect to the management of prisoners and are offered the same access to Departmental training as their government colleagues; the only exception is Custodial Officer training which is conduct in-house at Borallon Correctional Centre. Borallon Correctional Centre employees cannot transfer to another prison nor do they receive public service benefits. Borallon Correctional Centre employees cannot wear the Department of Corrective Services Uniform.

Prisoners within Borallon Correctional Centre could work or take courses to correct their behavior. They could also complete schooling, TAFE and university studies.

The contract to manage Borallon Correctional Centre was subject to tender between February and May 2007, with GEO, MTC, GSL and Serco selected as bidders. On 4 September 2007, Serco was selected as preferred bidder.

Borallon Correctional Centre was decommissioned in early 2012, in conjunction with the opening of the new Southern Queensland Correctional Centre. The final date for visits to prisoners was on 22 January 2012.