Lithgow Correctional Centre


Lithgow Correctional Centre is a prison near Lithgow, Australia, operated by Corrective Services NSW, an agency of the New South Wales state government. The prison houses sentenced male inmates with a maximum security classification.

History

Data obtained from Corrective Services NSW by The Sydney Morning Herald revealed that between July 2006 and May 2009, 67 assaults occurred at the centre, one of which was considered serious.
Following the 2008 discovery of a prison drug ring orchestrated from inside Lithgow Correctional Centre by Bassam Hamzy through use of a mobile phone, prison officials sought approval for the introduction of a trial of mobile phone jamming technology. The trial began on 24 September 2013, and has been extended to 1 November 2018.
In 2011, prison officials announced a trial ban of smoking in the centre, impacting both inmates and officers. Nicotine patches were issued to inmates as a substitute. Prisoners were permitted to smoke in some designated outdoor areas, but were not permitted to smoke in their cells or inside jail facilities. The trial was due to commence in early 2012, for a period of six months.

Notable prisoners

Public transport to the centre is available from Lithgow railway station. Lithgow Buslines run buses along the Great Western Highway from Lithgow to Bathurst, some of which stop near Lithgow Correctional Centre. Other special bus services run directly to the centre.
Parking is available for visitors, and signs direct vehicles to the centre from the Great Western Highway. Visitors require bookings to see inmates, which can only be made on weekdays. Strict restrictions and security checks apply to all visitors.