Mr. Birney questions the Minister for Justice about a review of prisoner classification for high-security escorts following Professor Harding's report. The Minister responds that individual assessments are conducted and an independent report is forthcoming, while also pointing to actions taken by the previous government.

AnsweredQoN 344Legislative Assembly
Asked
16 June 2004
Portfolio
Justice

QuestionView source ↗

I refer to page 4 of Professor Harding’s report. Is the minister aware that Professor Harding recommended a review of the processes and criteria for classifying prisoners as requiring a high-security escort? Why did the minister not conduct that review? Mrs M.H. ROBERTS

AnswerView source ↗

My understanding is that prisoners going to the court custody area were to be individually assessed, and that process occurred. Again, the Government will receive an independent report. Therefore, we will know about that from an independent source. My understanding is that these recommendations were put in place before I became the minister. That review was acted upon and discussions took place with AIMS, which acted upon those recommendations. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER: Order, members! Mrs M.H. ROBERTS: At that time there were some points of agreement and disagreement. For example, it was the view of the inspector that high-security prisoners should not be put into the custody of AIMS officers at all. Yet under the former Government, AIMS had been contracted to look after them in that custody centre. What the department did - Several members interjected. The SPEAKER: Order, members! Several members interjected. The SPEAKER: Order, member for Kalgoorlie! Mrs M.H. ROBERTS: Individual assessments are made in the custody centre. Clearly the system failed us last Thursday, which is why we are holding an independent inquiry into it.
Mrs M.H. ROBERTS replied: My understanding is that prisoners going to the court custody area were to be individually assessed, and that process occurred. Again, the Government will receive an independent report. Therefore, we will know about that from an independent source. My understanding is that these recommendations were put in place before I became the minister. That review was acted upon and discussions took place with AIMS, which acted upon those recommendations. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER: Order, members! Mrs M.H. ROBERTS: At that time there were some points of agreement and disagreement. For example, it was the view of the inspector that high-security prisoners should not be put into the custody of AIMS officers at all. Yet under the former Government, AIMS had been contracted to look after them in that custody centre. What the department did - Several members interjected. The SPEAKER: Order, members! Several members interjected. The SPEAKER: Order, member for Kalgoorlie! Mrs M.H. ROBERTS: Individual assessments are made in the custody centre. Clearly the system failed us last Thursday, which is why we are holding an independent inquiry into it.
My understanding is that prisoners going to the court custody area were to be individually assessed, and that process occurred. Again, the Government will receive an independent report. Therefore, we will know about that from an independent source. My understanding is that these recommendations were put in place before I became the minister. That review was acted upon and discussions took place with AIMS, which acted upon those recommendations. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER: Order, members! Mrs M.H. ROBERTS: At that time there were some points of agreement and disagreement. For example, it was the view of the inspector that high-security prisoners should not be put into the custody of AIMS officers at all. Yet under the former Government, AIMS had been contracted to look after them in that custody centre. What the department did - Several members interjected. The SPEAKER: Order, members! Several members interjected. The SPEAKER: Order, member for Kalgoorlie! Mrs M.H. ROBERTS: Individual assessments are made in the custody centre. Clearly the system failed us last Thursday, which is why we are holding an independent inquiry into it.
Several members interjected. The SPEAKER: Order, members! Mrs M.H. ROBERTS: At that time there were some points of agreement and disagreement. For example, it was the view of the inspector that high-security prisoners should not be put into the custody of AIMS officers at all. Yet under the former Government, AIMS had been contracted to look after them in that custody centre. What the department did - Several members interjected. The SPEAKER: Order, members! Several members interjected. The SPEAKER: Order, member for Kalgoorlie! Mrs M.H. ROBERTS: Individual assessments are made in the custody centre. Clearly the system failed us last Thursday, which is why we are holding an independent inquiry into it.
The SPEAKER: Order, members! Mrs M.H. ROBERTS: At that time there were some points of agreement and disagreement. For example, it was the view of the inspector that high-security prisoners should not be put into the custody of AIMS officers at all. Yet under the former Government, AIMS had been contracted to look after them in that custody centre. What the department did - Several members interjected. The SPEAKER: Order, members! Several members interjected. The SPEAKER: Order, member for Kalgoorlie! Mrs M.H. ROBERTS: Individual assessments are made in the custody centre. Clearly the system failed us last Thursday, which is why we are holding an independent inquiry into it.
Mrs M.H. ROBERTS: At that time there were some points of agreement and disagreement. For example, it was the view of the inspector that high-security prisoners should not be put into the custody of AIMS officers at all. Yet under the former Government, AIMS had been contracted to look after them in that custody centre. What the department did - Several members interjected. The SPEAKER: Order, members! Several members interjected. The SPEAKER: Order, member for Kalgoorlie! Mrs M.H. ROBERTS: Individual assessments are made in the custody centre. Clearly the system failed us last Thursday, which is why we are holding an independent inquiry into it.
Several members interjected. The SPEAKER: Order, members! Several members interjected. The SPEAKER: Order, member for Kalgoorlie! Mrs M.H. ROBERTS: Individual assessments are made in the custody centre. Clearly the system failed us last Thursday, which is why we are holding an independent inquiry into it.
The SPEAKER: Order, members! Several members interjected. The SPEAKER: Order, member for Kalgoorlie! Mrs M.H. ROBERTS: Individual assessments are made in the custody centre. Clearly the system failed us last Thursday, which is why we are holding an independent inquiry into it.
Several members interjected. The SPEAKER: Order, member for Kalgoorlie! Mrs M.H. ROBERTS: Individual assessments are made in the custody centre. Clearly the system failed us last Thursday, which is why we are holding an independent inquiry into it.
The SPEAKER: Order, member for Kalgoorlie! Mrs M.H. ROBERTS: Individual assessments are made in the custody centre. Clearly the system failed us last Thursday, which is why we are holding an independent inquiry into it.
Mrs M.H. ROBERTS: Individual assessments are made in the custody centre. Clearly the system failed us last Thursday, which is why we are holding an independent inquiry into it.

Explore WA Government Data

Search the full archive in the free dashboard, or query programmatically via API.

Explore more