The three-yearly inspection of Casuarina Prison will be occurring in October 2025. Casuarina Prison is a maximum-security facility for male prisoners, originally opened in 1991 with a capacity for 397 men. In 2025, the prison has 1,631 general purpose beds, with a total capacity of 1,796. The prison provides specialist statewide functions for specific cohorts …
Wandoo Rehabilitation Prison, Western Australia’s first drug and alcohol rehabilitation prison, is due for its next inspection in July 2025. Opened in 2018 and managed in partnership with Cyrenian House, Wandoo is the only accredited Modified Therapeutic Community for women in a custodial estate in Australasia. Prisoners at Wandoo, who are referred to as ‘residents’, …
The Office of the Inspector of Custodial Services has today released the report for the 2024 inspection of Hakea Prison. This is the eighth announced inspection of Hakea – the state’s primary remand facility for adult males. The conditions observed during the May 2024 inspection were of such concern that the Inspector formed a view …
Broome Regional Prison, Western Australia’s oldest operational prison, is scheduled for its ninth inspection by the Office in May 2025. Originally commissioned in 1945, the prison includes three accommodation blocks and administrative buildings centred around the ‘Bull Pen,’ a secure shed built in 1895. Broome is a mixed-gender, minimum-security facility but also accommodates remand and …
Many women are received into custody experiencing a range of chronic health issues, including substance withdrawal, undiagnosed health conditions or untreated mental health conditions (Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, 2023). And it is recognised that incarcerated women have increased incidence of health conditions (DOJ, 2022; OICS, 2024; OICS, 2021). A number of these women …
People in custody experiencing acute distress should have access to appropriate crisis care. Mental health disorders affect a significant proportion of the Australian community. It is estimated that approximately 44 per cent of Australians have experienced some form of mental illness within their lifetime (Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, 2022). Consequently, this trend translates …
The Office of the Inspector of Custodial Services has announced an inspection of work camps across Western Australia. External activities – including employment and resocialisation – are an important element in a prisoner’s rehabilitation and reintegration journey. Work camps provide adult male prisoners an opportunity to participate in meaningful work in a community environment. These …
Contact with and connection to family and friends are key factors to maintaining the wellbeing of people in custody and their rehabilitation prospects. In this Office’s 2018 review examining this contact, we found the Department of Justice was struggling to meet its legislative and policy requirements for family and social visits, due to overcrowding within …
The Office of the Inspector of Custodial Services has released its Annual Report 2023-24. It reflects the challenging year faced by prisons and youth detention in Western Australia over the past 12 months. Inspector Eamon Ryan said: In 2023-24, our reports and monitoring activities have highlighted consistent findings that the custodial system has struggled to …
People in custody should be provided the opportunity to address their primary health, mental health, and social care needs through access to appropriate services. They must also be supported to change their behaviours and attitudes through tailored programs and services which address their needs and support desistence. These services and supports are delivered by non-custodial …
