❓ The Department of Justice outlines its role in facilitating housing for female prisoners upon release, including support with applications, referrals, and reintegration services provided by NGOs.
AnsweredQoN 2136Legislative Council
QuestionView source ↗
What role does the Department of Justice play in facilitating housing for female prisoners upon release?
AnswerView source ↗
Answered
15 October 2024
Responded by
Minister for Emergency Services representing the Minister for Corrective Services
Response time
9 days
The Department of Justice advise:
Transitional Managers located within Prisons provide the following individual support to female prisoners with regards to housing upon their return to community:
· Support women with applications to community housing providers.
· Provide information on transitional/ emergency accommodation including refuges.
· Occasional referral to emergency accommodation for women who have no accommodation and are released unexpectedly (e.g. ex-court).
· Arrange support letters to try to upgrade housing applications to priority listings.
· Facilitate Department of Communities (Housing) applications for waitlisting.
· Referrals for tenancy advocacy when a prisoner (tenant) is threatened with eviction prior to six months of incarceration or when Housing issues an account for tenancy termination costs that seems unrealistic.
All prisoners are assessed for reintegration needs and referred to contracted Reintegration Service Providers to support accommodation requirements if needed/requested.
The Department of Justice works with Non-Government Organisations (NGOs) engaged by service agreements to provide culturally competent reintegration services to prisoners statewide in accordance with need. Reintegration services are voluntary and primarily focused on planning for re-entry into the community. Services commence six months prior to release and are available up to 12-month post release.
Reintegration services delivered by contracted service providers include transitional and sustainable housing services, providing linkages and referrals to relevant accommodation services, temporary transitional accommodation, pre-release tenancy skills and post-release tenancy support.
Transitional Managers located within Prisons provide the following individual support to female prisoners with regards to housing upon their return to community:
· Support women with applications to community housing providers.
· Provide information on transitional/ emergency accommodation including refuges.
· Occasional referral to emergency accommodation for women who have no accommodation and are released unexpectedly (e.g. ex-court).
· Arrange support letters to try to upgrade housing applications to priority listings.
· Facilitate Department of Communities (Housing) applications for waitlisting.
· Referrals for tenancy advocacy when a prisoner (tenant) is threatened with eviction prior to six months of incarceration or when Housing issues an account for tenancy termination costs that seems unrealistic.
All prisoners are assessed for reintegration needs and referred to contracted Reintegration Service Providers to support accommodation requirements if needed/requested.
The Department of Justice works with Non-Government Organisations (NGOs) engaged by service agreements to provide culturally competent reintegration services to prisoners statewide in accordance with need. Reintegration services are voluntary and primarily focused on planning for re-entry into the community. Services commence six months prior to release and are available up to 12-month post release.
Reintegration services delivered by contracted service providers include transitional and sustainable housing services, providing linkages and referrals to relevant accommodation services, temporary transitional accommodation, pre-release tenancy skills and post-release tenancy support.
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