The Northern Territory Government is taking action to address the urgent need for increased correctional capacity. The Corrections Infrastructure Master Plan provides both immediate solutions and long-term development to ensure the safety and security of our communities by enabling rehabilitation and reducing reoffending.
Current Facilities
Infrastructure objectives
✓ Reduce pressure on existing correctional facilities.
✓ Return police watch houses for Police use as soon as possible.
✓ Provide a staged solution to accommodate future growth in the prisoner population.
✓ Deliver on commitments for new youth facilities, women's correctional centres and men’s work camps.
Outcomes
- Increase adult corrections capacity to approximately 3,000 beds.
- Create a 10% buffer for prisoner management and improved cell allocation.
- An NT wide, multi-classification Corrections network with a better system for management of remand and sentenced prisoners.
- Enhanced focus on skills training, prison industries and employment through more Work Camps.
Interim use of Berrimah Correctional Centre
December 2024 - Initial occupation of 50 low security men.
Quarter 1, 2025 - Full occupation of 200 low security men.
December 2026– Prisoners are reallocated and interim Berrimah Correctional Centre closed.
Main image: Berrimah Correctional Centre
Tranche 2 – Short-Term Priorities
- New dedicated women’s facility after conversion of Alice Springs Youth Detention Centre.
- New youth justice boot camp and remand intake facility at Paperbark facility in Alice Springs.
- New youth justice boot camp and bail facility in Katherine and Tennant Creek.
- Expansion of Alice Springs Correctional Centre.
- Interim women’s facility at Darwin Correctional Precinct.
New Women's Facility in Alice Springs
December 2024 - Alice Springs young people in detention transfer to Darwin Youth Detention Centre.
Darwin Youth Detention Centre becomes the principal youth detention facility for the Northern Territory.
Quarter 1, 2025 - Alice Springs women prisoners move into converted former Alice Springs Youth Detention Centre with 48 bed capacity.
Women’s sector in Alice Springs Correctional Centre becomes vacant.
Main image: Current Alice Springs Youth Justice Centre
New Youth Justice Boot Camp and Bail Facilities
December 2024 - Paperbark repurposed to youth justice boot camp and bail facility with up to 16 beds.
The facility will be a hybrid bail accommodation facility and base for boot camps.
Quarter 2, 2025 - Part of the facility converted to secure youth intake facility.
The intake centre will manage young people in detention before they are transferred to Darwin Youth Justice Centre.
Quarter 1, 2025 - New youth justice boot camp and bail facility to open in Tennant Creek.
Quarter 4, 2025 - New youth justice boot camp and bail facility to open in Katherine.
Main image: Darwin residential bail facility.
Expansion of Alice Springs Correctional Centre
Quarter 1, 2025 - Men move in to new 96 bed modular sector.
Quarter 1, 2025 - Vacant women’s sector in Alice Springs Correctional Centre repurposed to a 40-bed men’s sector.
Main image: Alice Springs Correctional Centre
Interim Women's Facility at Darwin Correctional Precinct
Quarter 3, 2025 – Conversion of external cottage sector to an interim women's facility with 88-bed capacity.
Men reallocated.
Quarter 3, 2025 – Vacant women’s sector in Darwin Correctional Centre will be repurposed for 120 bed men’s sector.
Main image: Women's sector in Darwin Correctional Centre.
Tranche 4 – Delivering New Dedicated Women's Facility and Expansion of Secure Male Accommodation at Holtze
- Construction of the new Darwin Women's Correctional Centre.
- Interim facilities close and men return to sectors at Darwin Correctional Precinct.
- Deliver further expansion of correctional capacity at Holtze by 300-400 beds.
New Women's Correctional Facility
Quarter 3, 2028 - Darwin women transition to new dedicated 150 bed correctional facility by September 2028.
Quarter 3, 2028 - Men return to interim women’s sector at Darwin Correctional Precinct.
Main image: Women's Sector in Darwin Correctional Precinct.