In her first interview since being appointed to the role, Deputy Commissioner Dr Yolonda Adams, who’s also a psychologist and Larrakia woman says she will play a key role in shaping prison programs to ensure they are tailored to Aboriginal people, who are overrepresented in NT jails. 

NT Corrections Commissioner Matthew Varley told Katie Woolf it is working with DIPL, architects and engineers to upgrade Don Dale to use it as an interim prison for adult inmates, which is set to be operational before the end of the year. 

Mr Varley says an additional 350 beds for male prisoners will be created with the establishment of two women’s prisons and refurbishment of Don Dale into an interim adult prison.

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