Analysis of Committee - Lifers' Report
On the 4th of April 2016, the Standing Committee on Law and Justice (Law and Justice Committee) submitted a Report to Parliament regarding the security classification and management of inmates sentenced to life imprisonment. It responded to an intervention made by David Elliot (Minister for Corrective Services) on the reclassification of lifer Andrew Garforth.
In July 2015, Andrew Garforth was reclassified from maximum (A2) to medium (B) security on the recommendation of the Serious Offenders Review Council (SORC). Another 11 inmates serving a natural life sentence had also been reclassified to either medium or minimum security. Reacting to an outcry from the victims family and the public, the Commissioner of Corrective Services reclassified him and then later all natural lifers from their lower security back to maximum.