There are two primary drawbacks to this system: first, once the prisoners enter New South Wales, the ACT jurisdiction over them ceases to exist and second, legislative changes to the New South Wales sentencing system affect the fate of ACT prisoners, irrespective of the ACT government. The inadequacies of the system are particularly harmful when it comes to prisoners suffering from mental and emotional disorders, who are often poorly served as a result of placement in the New South Wales prison system. This paper proposes that ACT set up a special purpose system in which both most of its own and prisoners from elsewhere in Australia can be assessed and treated. This proposal outlines the target groups for the system, types of programs to be offered, and the advantages of an Australian Capital Territory site for this type of scheme. 2 references