Julian Knight downgraded to ‘Medium Security’ risk

In mid-2025 Julian Knight (political prisoner since 2014) was assessed by Corrections Victoria and downgraded from Maximum Security rating to Medium Security rating.

Now that he has been relocated to medium security Loddon Prison.   When one gets to a Medium Security prison there’s more freedom within the walls; no internal fences or gates to pass through.  There’s an actual canteen rather than just a vending machine, although the canteen offerings are mostly junk food.   A prisoner is not required to don contact visit overalls.

Apart from that, there’s not much difference in terms of privileges, food, cell property, emails, phone call access is limited to 12 minutes  (outgoing only) and Corrections Victoria profits from charging extortionate fees despite the phone system being Internet VOIP.   Ask why Hamburg-based Telio Management GmbH in Germany charges such a fee on behalf of Corrections Victoria!  Private corporate greed again, like G4S privately running Port Phillip Prison out of London?

Prison Rehabilitation

What prison rehabilitation?

Before 2003 policy changes by the Victorian Government, outsourced of course, prisoners were allowed and encouraged to enrol in any off-campus course.   But then Corrections Victoria introduced an education policy to restrict studies to what they (big brother) consider appropriate.  Thereafter, whilst a prisoner can enrol in  a course without their approval, however if prison staff don’t like the choice made then  the staff prevent a prisoner from undertaking the study by intercepting incoming course materials and labelling them ‘Return to Sender’ (‘RTS’).

All in-cell computers are stand-alone computers with no Wi-Fi/Internet access.  The only approved in-cell computers are for approved education courses.   Corrections Victoria once again has become a monopoly running and controlling Victoria’s prisons.  There is no oversight.  It’s their world.  If they don’t want a certain prisoner to do a particular course, like say a law degree, they will make sure they make it impossible for that prisoner to do it.

Educational courses for prisoners are frequently restricted, often limited to vocational training or basic literacy and numeracy (aka menial tasks), with higher education or specialized courses frequently denied due to security concerns, funding, and logistical constraints. The primary reasons for denial include the lack of internet access, the inability to perform physical field work, and potential conflicts with the inmate’s rehabilitation plan or crime. 

So the policy is effectively another form of punishment.  Rehabilitation is only on paper.

So, where is Loddon Prison?

It’s on the eastern outskirts of the regional township of Castlemaine in Central Victoria.  Its name is derived from the surrounding Loddon River valley.

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