❓ Mr Papalia questions the Department of Corrective Services on imprisonment rates in WA, particularly concerning Aboriginal people and women, and why the government stopped reporting these rates in budget papers. The Department provides historical data and explains the change in reporting metrics.
AnsweredQoN 3559Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
I refer to Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) report 4512.0 of September quarter 2014, and I ask: (a) for each financial year from 2001–2002 to 2013–2014, what was the rate of imprisonment per 100,000 adult population; (b) what was the rate of Aboriginal imprisonment per 100,000 adult population for each of those years; (c) what was the rate of imprisonment for women per 100,000 adult population for each of those years; (d) what was the rate of imprisonment for Aboriginal women per 100,000 adult population for each of those years; (e) when did the government cease reporting rates of imprisonment per 100,000 in the budget papers; and (f) why did the government cease reporting rates of imprisonment per 100,000 adult population in the budget papers noting that this is the standard national measurement employed by the ABS, all other Australian jurisdictions and many international authorities to monitor and benchmark imprisonment rates?
AnswerView source ↗
Answered
18 March 2015
Responded by
Minister for Corrective Services
Response time
28 days
The Department of Corrective Services advises:
(a) - (d) [See tabled paper no.]
(e) The Department ceased reporting on rate of imprisonment per 100,000 in 2011. As a result these figures ceased being published in the Government's budget papers in 2011/2012.
(f) The Department historically reported this information as a key performance indicator (KPI). However, the imprisonment rate is a function of many factors, with most being outside of the Department's influence. Given this, new KPIs were developed to more effectively measure performance.
The Department is aware that imprisonment rates continue to be published by the ABS and contributes information to facilitate that publication.
(a) - (d) [See tabled paper no.]
(e) The Department ceased reporting on rate of imprisonment per 100,000 in 2011. As a result these figures ceased being published in the Government's budget papers in 2011/2012.
(f) The Department historically reported this information as a key performance indicator (KPI). However, the imprisonment rate is a function of many factors, with most being outside of the Department's influence. Given this, new KPIs were developed to more effectively measure performance.
The Department is aware that imprisonment rates continue to be published by the ABS and contributes information to facilitate that publication.
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