❓ Question regarding funding, locations, planning, and costs associated with ligature minimisation in WA prisons. The response provides details on expenditure, locations of work, future plans, and associated costs.
AnsweredQoN 3023Legislative Council
QuestionView source ↗
I refer to ligature minimisation in prisons, and I ask: (a) how
much funding was spent on ligature minimisation in 2019-20; (b) at which prisons was ligature minimisation work undertaken
in 2019-20; (c) has
the Department undertaken any work over the last five years to ascertain what
further ligature minimisation work is required and to plan this work; (d) if yes to (c), please table any relevant reports
and or planning documents stemming from this work; (e) if
no to (c), why not; (f) which prisons require ligature minimisation
work; (g) what is the estimated cost of this work; and (h) when is it anticipated this work will be
undertaken?
much funding was spent on ligature minimisation in 2019-20; (b) at which prisons was ligature minimisation work undertaken
in 2019-20; (c) has
the Department undertaken any work over the last five years to ascertain what
further ligature minimisation work is required and to plan this work; (d) if yes to (c), please table any relevant reports
and or planning documents stemming from this work; (e) if
no to (c), why not; (f) which prisons require ligature minimisation
work; (g) what is the estimated cost of this work; and (h) when is it anticipated this work will be
undertaken?
AnswerView source ↗
Answered
15 September 2020
Responded by
Minister for Environment representing the Minister for Corrective Services
Response time
9 days
(a) $430,401.
(b) Banksia Hill Detention Centre and Casuarina Prison.
(c) Yes.
(d) Planning documents requested in relation to ligature mitigation throughout the estate are sensitive. Disclosure of ligature risks in each facility may pose a risk to the safety and security of the prison estate.
(e) Not applicable.
(f) Investment to date has resulted in a significant increase in ligature minimised cells in the estate when compared to overall numbers of prisoners identified to be at risk of self-harm. The number of at risk prisoners at any prison changes regularly and that is why the data is monitored quarterly. In addition all new mainstream secure cells are constructed as minimum 3-point ligature minimised. New special purpose cells are constructed as fully ligature minimised.
We have identified the following six prisons where additional ligature minimisation would be of benefit and prioritised these sites for the next program of work.
1. Bandyup Women’s Prison
2. Casuarina Prison
3. Greenough Regional Prison
4. Hakea Prison
5. Melaleuca Women’s Prison
6. Roebourne Regional Prison
(g) Approved budget is $1.5m over the next three financial years. Estimated cost for a fully ligature minimised cell is between $30,000 and $50,000. We will be utilising approx. $500,000 per financial year to perform this work.
All new units built will be constructed as a minimum 3-point ligature minimised and all mental health and high risk units will be fully ligature minimised – the cost of this is external to the $1.5m and is included in the projects building costs.
(h) Program of Works due to commence November 2020.
(b) Banksia Hill Detention Centre and Casuarina Prison.
(c) Yes.
(d) Planning documents requested in relation to ligature mitigation throughout the estate are sensitive. Disclosure of ligature risks in each facility may pose a risk to the safety and security of the prison estate.
(e) Not applicable.
(f) Investment to date has resulted in a significant increase in ligature minimised cells in the estate when compared to overall numbers of prisoners identified to be at risk of self-harm. The number of at risk prisoners at any prison changes regularly and that is why the data is monitored quarterly. In addition all new mainstream secure cells are constructed as minimum 3-point ligature minimised. New special purpose cells are constructed as fully ligature minimised.
We have identified the following six prisons where additional ligature minimisation would be of benefit and prioritised these sites for the next program of work.
1. Bandyup Women’s Prison
2. Casuarina Prison
3. Greenough Regional Prison
4. Hakea Prison
5. Melaleuca Women’s Prison
6. Roebourne Regional Prison
(g) Approved budget is $1.5m over the next three financial years. Estimated cost for a fully ligature minimised cell is between $30,000 and $50,000. We will be utilising approx. $500,000 per financial year to perform this work.
All new units built will be constructed as a minimum 3-point ligature minimised and all mental health and high risk units will be fully ligature minimised – the cost of this is external to the $1.5m and is included in the projects building costs.
(h) Program of Works due to commence November 2020.
Explore WA Government Data
Search the full archive in the free dashboard, or query programmatically via API.
Explore more
Government Gazette
Appointments, regulatory notices, planning changes.
Hansard
Debates, questions, speeches and sentiment.
Tabled Papers
Reports and documents tabled in Parliament.
Committees
Committee profiles and recent reports.
Regulations
Subsidiary legislation with filters and summaries.
Bills
Proposed laws and parliamentary progress.
Acts
Current WA legislation and summaries.
Explanatory Memoranda
Bills with EMs (text/PDF) available.
Members
MP profiles, party breakdown and rankings.
Pollie Rankings
Data-driven rankings across 19 categories.
Amendment Chains
Track how schemes and regulations evolve over time.