❓ Question on Notice regarding imprisonment for fine default in WA, broken down by gender, Indigenous status, unemployment, and mental illness. The answer provides data for some categories but cites resource constraints for others.
AnsweredQoN 2406Legislative Council
QuestionView source ↗
For
each financial year from 2015 to 2018 inclusive, I ask: (a) how
many people in Western Australia were imprisoned for fine default alone; (b) how many of the individuals from (a) were women; (c) how many of the individuals from (a) were classified as unemployed at the time of incarceration; (d) how many of the individuals from (a) identified as Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander; (e) how many of the individuals from (d): (i) were
women; and (ii) were classified as unemployed at the time of incarceration; (f) how
many of the individuals from (a) were being treated for a diagnosed mental
illness at the time of their incarceration; (g) how many of the individuals from (f): (i) identified as Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander; (ii) were women; and (iii) were classified as unemployed at the time of incarceration; (h) on average, how many days did the individuals from (a) spend in prison for non-payment of fines; (i) what was the longest period an individual from (a) was imprisoned for non-payment of fines; and (j) what was the shortest period an individual from (a) was imprisoned for non-payment of fines?
each financial year from 2015 to 2018 inclusive, I ask: (a) how
many people in Western Australia were imprisoned for fine default alone; (b) how many of the individuals from (a) were women; (c) how many of the individuals from (a) were classified as unemployed at the time of incarceration; (d) how many of the individuals from (a) identified as Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander; (e) how many of the individuals from (d): (i) were
women; and (ii) were classified as unemployed at the time of incarceration; (f) how
many of the individuals from (a) were being treated for a diagnosed mental
illness at the time of their incarceration; (g) how many of the individuals from (f): (i) identified as Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander; (ii) were women; and (iii) were classified as unemployed at the time of incarceration; (h) on average, how many days did the individuals from (a) spend in prison for non-payment of fines; (i) what was the longest period an individual from (a) was imprisoned for non-payment of fines; and (j) what was the shortest period an individual from (a) was imprisoned for non-payment of fines?
AnswerView source ↗
Answered
24 September 2019
Responded by
Minister for Environment representing the Minister for Corrective Services
Response time
9 days
(a)-(e):
Prisoner Group
2015-16
2016-17
2017-18
2018-19
(a)
All
623
1036
814
433
(b)
Women
160
264
216
112
(c)
Unemployed 1 at Arrest
305
512
383
210
(d)
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander (ATSI)
234
400
330
156
(e)
(i)
ATSI - Women
91
158
111
46
(ii)
ATSI – Unemployed 1 at Arrest
120
208
171
90
1 Unemployed on Arrest based on the ABS counting rules for the annual Prisoners in Australia collection.
(f) and (g). This level of information is not recorded in the Department’s Data-Warehouse and would have to be collated manually, a resource intensive and time consuming task.
(h)-(j) as follows:
Statistic
2015-16
2016-17
2017-18
2018-19
(h)
Average Days
6
6
5
5
(i)
Maximum Days
105
749
60
92
(j)
Minimum Days
1
1
1
1
Prisoner Group
2015-16
2016-17
2017-18
2018-19
(a)
All
623
1036
814
433
(b)
Women
160
264
216
112
(c)
Unemployed 1 at Arrest
305
512
383
210
(d)
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander (ATSI)
234
400
330
156
(e)
(i)
ATSI - Women
91
158
111
46
(ii)
ATSI – Unemployed 1 at Arrest
120
208
171
90
1 Unemployed on Arrest based on the ABS counting rules for the annual Prisoners in Australia collection.
(f) and (g). This level of information is not recorded in the Department’s Data-Warehouse and would have to be collated manually, a resource intensive and time consuming task.
(h)-(j) as follows:
Statistic
2015-16
2016-17
2017-18
2018-19
(h)
Average Days
6
6
5
5
(i)
Maximum Days
105
749
60
92
(j)
Minimum Days
1
1
1
1
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