Going to Prison: What to Expect

If a court imposes a full-time custodial sentence, you will generally be taken into custody immediately from the courtroom, rather than being given time to arrange your affairs beforehand. For this reason, it is important to prepare in advance of a sentencing hearing where a custodial outcome is a real possibility, including arranging for someone to collect your belongings and manage urgent personal matters.

You will be transported to a reception centre, where you are searched, your details and any medical needs are recorded, and you are assessed before being classified and allocated to a correctional facility appropriate to your security rating and individual circumstances.

Corrective Services NSW classifies every inmate according to their assessed security risk, which determines the type of facility and conditions under which they are held. Factors considered include the nature of the offence, sentence length, prior custodial history, and any specific risks or vulnerabilities.

Classification can change over the course of a sentence based on behaviour and circumstances, and can affect access to programs, work opportunities, and eligibility for lower-security placement as a sentence progresses.

Most full-time sentences include a non-parole period — the minimum time that must be served in custody — followed by a balance of term during which release on parole may be possible. Parole is not automatic; the State Parole Authority assesses whether release is appropriate, taking into account matters such as behaviour in custody, program participation, and any assessed risk to the community.

If parole is refused or revoked after release, a person can be required to serve some or all of the remaining sentence in custody, making compliance with parole conditions, once released, just as important as behaviour during the custodial part of the sentence.

Inmates are generally entitled to visits from family and approved visitors, subject to the facility's rules and the inmate's classification, along with phone contact and, in some facilities, additional communication options. Programs and support services are also available within custody, covering education, employment skills, and rehabilitation relevant to the offending.

For family members adjusting to a loved one being in custody, Corrective Services NSW and various community organisations provide information and support regarding visits, sentence progression, and what to expect, which can help ease a difficult and unfamiliar process.