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Australia's Most Murderous Prison: Behind the Walls of Goulburn Jail

James Phelps

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Aug 11, 2015 Brenda rated it really liked it

Shelves: net-galley, non-fiction, 2015-release, aussie-authors, read-on-kindle, arc, own-read, true-crime

Supermax prison was built within the walls of the Goulburn Jail to house the most evil and depraved of human criminals – the then Premier of NSW, Bob Carr opened it to much controversy. But the murders which occurred across Goulburn Jail in the 1990s meant something quite obviously needed to be done.

Racial problems within the prison between the Aboriginals, Lebanese and Muslims to name a few were the cause of the intense hatred – the shower blocks were where the majority of the murders occurred Supermax prison was built within the walls of the Goulburn Jail to house the most evil and depraved of human criminals – the then Premier of NSW, Bob Carr opened it to much controversy. But the murders which occurred across Goulburn Jail in the 1990s meant something quite obviously needed to be done.

Racial problems within the prison between the Aboriginals, Lebanese and Muslims to name a few were the cause of the intense hatred – the shower blocks were where the majority of the murders occurred. Poorly guarded, all that was needed was a distraction by a prisoner – a bar of soap needed for example – and by the time the guard returned there was a dead body on the floor, surrounded by rivers of blood. The murders were brutal and fast (their time was restricted) – the shivs the prisoners made were deadly. Goulburn Jail earned the name of The Killing Fields; prisoners who were sentenced to go there were often terrified, knowing their lives were quite probably to be shortened…

After the segregation of the races in a plan called “racial clustering” put an end to the continuing murders, though not completely, plans for Supermax came into being. And now, Supermax houses Australia’s most shocking criminals – we all know of serial killer Ivan Milat. He is one of many of the murderers, terrorists, serial killers, gangsters and rapists who call Supermax home.

Australia’s Most Murderous Prison by Aussie author James Phelps is not a difficult read – but it is most definitely an eye-opening one. It was interesting to read about the lives of the people who worked within the walls over a period of years – most not working there for long, but all having remarkable tales to tell. The husband and wife team who both worked in different capacities and what happened to them. One particular person who was the backbone of Phelps’ research was Al Chisholm but there were many more. I highly recommend this book – it reads like fiction, but horrifyingly it’s all true!

With thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for my copy to read and review.
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Feb 04, 2018 Amber rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

A lot of the time, once the publicity of the trial and sentencing fade from memory we never give another thought to the newly convicted prisoner. However James Phelps' book reveals in sometimes bold and graphic detail what prison life is like - for the inmates and the men and women who guard them.

There are some tales that are horrifying, some amusing, some grotesque. There are anecdotes that made me laugh, made me shudder, and some that made me inwardly cheer (hint: reference to 'I'm A Celebrity ...more

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Oct 16, 2015 Vicki Tyley marked it as to-read · review of another edition

Shelves: true-crime, australian-author

Aug 27, 2020 Glenda Rouxel added it · review of another edition

Apr 25, 2022 Tien rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: australia, non-fiction, australian-author, true-crime

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