All violent incidents allegedly involving prisoners and guards at the ACT's prison will be re-examined in an internal investigation quietly launched by the Justice and Community Safety Directorate.
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The directorate yesterday confirmed it was investigating four incidents in which guards allegedly used force against prisoners since the Alexander Maconochie Centre was opened.
The Canberra Times also understands a second investigation into all alleged use-of-force incidents at the prison has been launched by the ACT Ombudsman, at the direction of the Human Rights Commission.
Three of the allegedly violent incidents involved former prison boss Doug Buchanan, who was seconded to the ACT and left under explosive circumstances in May.
On Tuesday JACS deputy director-general Stephen Goggs wrote to Mr Buchanan to advise him the directorate was arranging a ''fact-finding exercise'' into three ''incidents of alleged use of excessive force'' that took place in 2010 and 2011.
Mr Goggs wrote that the aim of the exercise was to establish whether policy, process and procedures at the jail could be improved, and whether a full investigation in regards to possible misconduct was warranted.
At least 20 other letters were sent out to guards.
An AFP investigation into Mr Buchanan was dropped in August, with detectives finding insufficient evidence to substantiate claims that he used excessive force on a prisoner.
A directorate spokesman said that despite the AFP findings, there were remaining concerns over whether Mr Buchanan had breached internal use-of-force policy.
Mr Buchanan again denied any wrongdoing yesterday. ''I want my name cleared,'' he said yesterday.
''I went to the ACT with an incredible reputation as a correctional manager, recommended and rewarded for that. Went down there and I've come back without some of that. And I want it back.
''I believe it's an attempt from the director and the Government to justify their position. It's persecution and ... they're going after me just to justify their position.''
Asked why he believed the matter was being investigated now, he said: ''Because the police cleared me on the matter and they're trying to find ... some reason to justify shafting me.''
The review had been rumoured for more than a week, but last week JACS, while responding to questions from The Canberra Times and the Commonwealth Public Sector Union, had said they were conducting regular reviews of use-of-force incidents to improve training programs.
Yesterday, an angered CPSU ACT branch secretary Vince McDevitt said JACS had been misleading and had intentionally left out information.
''The information that the directorate gave me last week was incorrect,'' Mr McDevitt said.
''What stands out to me is that the directorate has not been forthcoming about the reasons for this. Why are you doing this? That's my first question.''
The constant questioning and re-questioning of prison guards has them walking on ''eggshells'' and left them scared to do their job, Mr McDevitt said.
