The Office found many strengths and achievements in the design, the practicing ethos and the overall performance of the West Kimberley Regional Prison but was disappointed in the lack of progress and planning for Broome Regional Prison’s future.
West Kimberley Regional Prison:
Strengths:
- A progressive design that supports the ethos of the prison.
- housing style accommodation,
- natural earthy colours used throughout the prison,
- self-care based regimes,
- natural bushland within the prison,
- bushland is also visible outside the prison through the fence.
- A management style that shows understanding and support of the local Aboriginal culture, beliefs and practices.
- recognition and support of family and community grouping
- flexibility in visits
- acknowledgement and support of important cultural events
- acknowledgement and support during sorry time and
- support and arrangement of smoking ceremonies
- Prisoner’s demeanour changes when they are back in country.
- proud stance/standing tall
- engaging conversation
- keen to teach staff and others their culture and beliefs
- The environment, the design, the ethos of the prison, and the management style and practices, supports those prisoners with mental health issues.
Concerns:
- The ethos of the prison is finely balanced and could come tumbling down if there is an increase of prisoner numbers without the addition of appropriate services, support and funding.
- There is a need for more prisoners to engage with the community through Section 95.
- Need for more prisoners to attend funerals of those people important in their lives without being disadvantaged by cost and remoteness of location.
- Explore all options for the cost effective, safe and secure transportation of prisoners with aims to reduce cost, preform more efficiently, partnering other agencies such as police.
- No fire doors in the houses in the women’s section.
- Poor/late project management of the construction of the prison.
- A large number of maintenance issues.
- Need for a further prison similar to WKRP in the East Kimberley.
Broome Regional Prison:
Strengths:
- Credit to the remaining staff in keeping the prison operating.
- Prisoners are being given a more relaxed regime to compensate for the lack of other services.
Concerns:
- Lack of planning of the future of the prison since the announcement date.
- Immediate reduction of staffing and services to the prison has resulted in the prison and the prisoners being underserviced for some two years or more.
- Lack of consultation with the community.
- Lack of decision making and planning has resulted in staff, the local community and the region being adversely affected.
- Need to remove glass mirrors from Safe cells.
- Lack of information being relayed to staff