Prison Uniform Buttons
Prison Department NSW
Amor Sydney
The colony established the Department of Prisons in 1874 which ran under that name until 1970. From 1970-2009 it was known as Corrective Services, from 2009 Corrective Services New South Wales.
In 1899 uniform regulations included, for the Chief, Deputy and first Class Warders ‘six gold-gilt uniform buttons with crown with word “Prisons Department, N.S.W. ” round rim’ for their winter jackets. The second class warders had only two small gold-gilt buttons, and no buttons were mentioned for third class warders! By 1921 warders of all classes were able to sport 6 gold-gilt uniform buttons on their winter jackets.
Prisons Department (Victoria)
1995-2003
Around the edge of the plastic lining, very small, is ‘Nichols Industries (Aust) and an 1800 phone number.
Due to both changing philosopies and politics, the department underwent renaming and reforming multiple times.
1851-1869: Penal Department
1870-1960: Chief Secretary’s Department – Penal and Gaol Branch
1960-1978: Social Welfare Department
1979-1983: Community Welfare Service
1983-1992: Office of Corrections
1992-1995: Correctional Services Division within the Department of Justice.
1995-2003: split into Victorian Prison Service and the Office of Correctional Services Commissioner
2003 onwards: Corrections Victoria.
If you want to read in details about the management of prisons, see this thesis: https://eprints.utas.edu.au/21156/1/whole_PatersonWilliamCross1998_thesis.pdf
For all questions, please use the Contact page.