1.  Wooroloo should sustain its cultural change process. As part of this, it should:

  • improve senior management communications with staff
  • aim to have at least two senior officers with recent and relevant supervisory experience involved in the performance appraisal and development process for each prison officer.

2.  Wooroloo and the Department should work proactively together to reduce the high workers’ compensation claims at Wooroloo.

3.  The Department should ensure that the assessments of prisoners for external activities are conducted quickly and the process complements the operations and philosophy of Wooroloo as a re-entry prison.

4.  The Department should restore and improve prisoners’ access to education and training at Wooroloo.

5.  Wooroloo should facilitate and promote the use of e-visit technology for prisoners.

6.  Wooroloo should create and support a representative forum, separate from the peer support team, through which prisoners and prison management can communicate with each other.

7.   Wooroloo should investigate the reasons for the low percentage of Aboriginal prisoners at high gratuity levels, then take action to improve their access to these positions.

8.  Lift the standards of the Wooroloo canteen by introducing:

  • better controls over stocks
  • a formal mechanism to consult prisoners about stock selection
  • a notional budget and a traffic-light purchasing system for distribution of food for self-care prisoners.

9.   Improve recreation options for prisoners inside the prison, by:

  • filling all three recreation officer positions
  • increasing library opening hours
  • making use of the renovated recreation hall.

10.  In line with Boronia, Pardelup and Wandoo minimum-security facilities, the Department should allow Wooroloo to conduct its own individual risk assessments for medical escorts.

11. Wooroloo should revise the Drug Management Strategy to focus more on support and rehabilitation, including incentives for prisoners who address drug-taking behaviour for medical escorts.

12. Wooroloo should revise the Drug Management Strategy to focus more on support and rehabilitation, including incentives for prisoners who address drug-taking behaviour.

13. Ensure the control room is secured and staffed at all times.

Please click here for the response of the Department of Corrective Services to these recommendations.

 

Page last updated: December 18, 2015