Prison Officer Uniform Issue Record

Title: Prison Officer Uniform Issue Record

Date: October 1987

Creator: H.M. Prison Pentridge / Victorian Prison Service

Format: Printed administrative record (uniform entitlement form)

Collection: Pentridge Prison Online Museum.

This administrative record documents the issue and replacement of uniform items allocated to a Prison Officer (PO) at H.M. Prison Pentridge in October 1987. The form records clothing entitlements through a points-based allocation system, with the officer’s total listed as 259 points.

Items issued included components of standard prison officer dress and equipment, with replacement schedules applied to certain articles. For example, the officer’s belt was not due for replacement until 30 August 1991, demonstrating the structured management of uniform distribution and expected item lifespan.

The record relates to K W, who was employed as a Prison Officer at Pentridge at the time. It provides insight into the practical and administrative processes underpinning prison operations, including inventory control, staff provisioning and resource management.

Administrative records such as this are rarely dramatic, but they often reveal details of institutional life that larger histories overlook. Documents concerning clothing issue, entitlement systems and equipment management contribute to understanding the everyday experiences and organisational routines of Victoria’s prison system.