The country's 25,000 frontline correctional staff, including more than 10,500 from NSW, are being celebrated today as part of the annual National Corrections Day.
The state's custodial officers, Community Corrections staff, industries workers, psychologists and programs officers, Security and Intelligence, and administration staff are among those being acknowledged for the seventh year running.
Minister for Corrections Geoff Lee said National Corrections Day was an opportunity to applaud the vital work corrections staff do to rehabilitate offenders and keep the community safe.
"Today we rally around our exceptional Corrective Services NSW staff and give them a well-deserved pat on the back for keeping our prisons and communities safe while simultaneously working towards reducing re-offending," Dr Lee said.
"CSNSW staff juggle a lot at once, including working face-to-face with offenders in custody and the community, collaborating with various units within corrections, and liaising and connecting with other government and non-government agencies too.
"It's a tough job and I look forward to getting out to one of our state's busiest prisons today, the Metropolitan Remand and Reception Centre, to personally congratulate staff and spend time with them on the ground on this special day."
CSNSW Acting Commissioner Luke Grant applauded the efforts of staff across the organisation, thanking them for what can be a dangerous job at times.
"I'm incredibly proud of our staff - our multi-disciplinary team - who work together every day to ensure our correctional system remains one of the best in the world," Mr Grant says.
"Corrections staff don't get enough recognition, so being able to publicly recognise them today is an honour. I hope National Corrections Day gives the entire workforce a morale boost and helps them to know how appreciated they are," Mr Grant said.
Corrections Day was established by CSNSW in 2017 before it was adopted nationally and by New Zealand in 2018. The day will be marked across NSW with workplace morning tea, barbecues, and awards ceremonies.
