❓ WA Parliamentary Question on Notice regarding drug-related offences and sentencing in the WA prison system during 2018-19, with a focus on methamphetamine and regional offenders.
AnsweredQoN 5344Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
(1) What number of adult offenders entered the prison system in the 2018-19 year as a result of an offence or offences involving drug use, possession and/or dealing: (a) for a sentence of 12 months or less; (b) for a sentence between 12 and 24 months; (c) for a sentence between 24 and 36 months; and (d) for a sentence between 36 and 48 months? (2) For each of the categories above, how many offenders had crystal methamphetamine use, possession or dealing as a component of their offence? (3) For each of the categories above, how many offenders were from regional Western Australia?
AnswerView source ↗
Answered
17 September 2019
Responded by
Minister for Emergency Services; Corrective Services
Response time
11 days
(1) The figures below represent the number of adults who entered the prison system in 2018-19 following a conviction for an offence in section 6 (selling, supplying, manufacturing or possessing drugs) or section 33 (attempting to commit these offences) of the Misuse of Drugs Act 1981 . Persons have been counted if the drug offence was their most serious offence, and only the sentence length for the drug offence has been calculated.
(a) 110
(b) 167
(c) 128
(d) 53
Note that an additional 82 adults also entered the prison system at this time, with a sentence of greater than 48 months for the relevant drug offence.
(2) Information is not available on crystal methamphetamine offences specifically. This question has been answered by identifying all section 6 and section 33 offences where methamphetamine is listed as the drug involved in the offence.
(a) 53
(b) 104
(c) 82
(d) 36
Note that 58 adults entered the prison system with a sentence of greater than 48 months for a methamphetamine related relevant drug offence.
(3) For the following figures, regional Western Australia has been classified as all Regional Development Areas in Western Australia excluding the Peel and Metropolitan areas. This information is based on the last known address of the offender.
(a) 34
(b) 43
(c) 19
(d) 10
Note that 21 adults whose last known address was in regional Western Australia also entered the prison system with a sentence of greater than 48 months for the relevant drug offence.
(a) 110
(b) 167
(c) 128
(d) 53
Note that an additional 82 adults also entered the prison system at this time, with a sentence of greater than 48 months for the relevant drug offence.
(2) Information is not available on crystal methamphetamine offences specifically. This question has been answered by identifying all section 6 and section 33 offences where methamphetamine is listed as the drug involved in the offence.
(a) 53
(b) 104
(c) 82
(d) 36
Note that 58 adults entered the prison system with a sentence of greater than 48 months for a methamphetamine related relevant drug offence.
(3) For the following figures, regional Western Australia has been classified as all Regional Development Areas in Western Australia excluding the Peel and Metropolitan areas. This information is based on the last known address of the offender.
(a) 34
(b) 43
(c) 19
(d) 10
Note that 21 adults whose last known address was in regional Western Australia also entered the prison system with a sentence of greater than 48 months for the relevant drug offence.
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