❓ A WA parliamentary question seeks data on prisoner-on-prisoner assaults and sexual assaults in WA prisons for two years and asks about measures to address assault in light of prison population growth. The Minister provides data on physical assaults but not sexual assaults, citing resource constraints, and highlights intervention programs.
AnsweredQoN 1189Legislative Council
QuestionView source ↗
PRISON MUSTER — PRISONER ASSAULTS AND SEXUAL ASSAULTS
(1) For the 12 months from November 2008 to November 2009 — (a) how many prisoner-on-prisoner physical assaults occurred across the prison system; and (b) how many prisoner-on-prisoner sexual assaults occurred across the prison system? (2) For the 12 months from November 2007 to November 2008 — (a) how many prisoner-on-prisoner physical assaults occurred across the prison system; and (b) how many prisoner-on-prisoner sexual assaults occurred across the prison system? (3) What new measures have been implemented to address the threat of sexual and physical assault in light of the unprecedented growth in the prison muster over recent months? Hon MICHAEL MISCHIN
(1) For the 12 months from November 2008 to November 2009 — (a) how many prisoner-on-prisoner physical assaults occurred across the prison system; and (b) how many prisoner-on-prisoner sexual assaults occurred across the prison system? (2) For the 12 months from November 2007 to November 2008 — (a) how many prisoner-on-prisoner physical assaults occurred across the prison system; and (b) how many prisoner-on-prisoner sexual assaults occurred across the prison system? (3) What new measures have been implemented to address the threat of sexual and physical assault in light of the unprecedented growth in the prison muster over recent months? Hon MICHAEL MISCHIN
AnswerView source ↗
The Minister for Corrective Services advises the following, with the proviso that the requested data is available up to September 2009 only; therefore, the time period has been adjusted accordingly in the responses, and the answers will cover September to September. (1) (a) There were 552 prisoner-on-prisoner physical assaults for the period 1 October 2008 through to 30 September 2009. (b) This information is not readily available as sexual assaults are classified as serious assaults and included within the data for the total number of assaults. As such, the provision of this data requires considerable manual extraction, which is not an effective use of resources at this point in time. (2) (a) There were 481 prisoner-on-prisoner physical assaults for the period 1 October 2007 to 30 September 2008. (b) As per (1)(b). (3) The proportion of assaults compared with the daily average population has remained consistent over recent months as well as the past few years, indicating that the rise in prison population has not impacted on the number of assaults. This result can be attributed to the vigilance and professionalism of prison-based staff, the implementation of an intelligence-driven security framework and improvements to prisoner management. In addition, one important and central measure designed to prevent prisoners perpetrating assaults is the provision of violent offending intervention programs. In the last year of the previous Labor government, that is 2007-08, 78 of these programs were delivered. In 2008-09, 166 places were offered. An estimated 314 places will be offered in 2009-10, which will constitute a 184 per cent increase.
(b) how many prisoner-on-prisoner sexual assaults occurred across the prison system?
(b) how many prisoner-on-prisoner sexual assaults occurred across the prison system?
Hon MICHAEL MISCHIN replied: The Minister for Corrective Services advises the following, with the proviso that the requested data is available up to September 2009 only; therefore, the time period has been adjusted accordingly in the responses, and the answers will cover September to September. (1) (a) There were 552 prisoner-on-prisoner physical assaults for the period 1 October 2008 through to 30 September 2009. (b) This information is not readily available as sexual assaults are classified as serious assaults and included within the data for the total number of assaults. As such, the provision of this data requires considerable manual extraction, which is not an effective use of resources at this point in time. (2) (a) There were 481 prisoner-on-prisoner physical assaults for the period 1 October 2007 to 30 September 2008. (b) As per (1)(b). (3) The proportion of assaults compared with the daily average population has remained consistent over recent months as well as the past few years, indicating that the rise in prison population has not impacted on the number of assaults. This result can be attributed to the vigilance and professionalism of prison-based staff, the implementation of an intelligence-driven security framework and improvements to prisoner management. In addition, one important and central measure designed to prevent prisoners perpetrating assaults is the provision of violent offending intervention programs. In the last year of the previous Labor government, that is 2007-08, 78 of these programs were delivered. In 2008-09, 166 places were offered. An estimated 314 places will be offered in 2009-10, which will constitute a 184 per cent increase.
The Minister for Corrective Services advises the following, with the proviso that the requested data is available up to September 2009 only; therefore, the time period has been adjusted accordingly in the responses, and the answers will cover September to September. (1) (a) There were 552 prisoner-on-prisoner physical assaults for the period 1 October 2008 through to 30 September 2009. (b) This information is not readily available as sexual assaults are classified as serious assaults and included within the data for the total number of assaults. As such, the provision of this data requires considerable manual extraction, which is not an effective use of resources at this point in time. (2) (a) There were 481 prisoner-on-prisoner physical assaults for the period 1 October 2007 to 30 September 2008. (b) As per (1)(b). (3) The proportion of assaults compared with the daily average population has remained consistent over recent months as well as the past few years, indicating that the rise in prison population has not impacted on the number of assaults. This result can be attributed to the vigilance and professionalism of prison-based staff, the implementation of an intelligence-driven security framework and improvements to prisoner management. In addition, one important and central measure designed to prevent prisoners perpetrating assaults is the provision of violent offending intervention programs. In the last year of the previous Labor government, that is 2007-08, 78 of these programs were delivered. In 2008-09, 166 places were offered. An estimated 314 places will be offered in 2009-10, which will constitute a 184 per cent increase.
(1) (a) There were 552 prisoner-on-prisoner physical assaults for the period 1 October 2008 through to 30 September 2009. (b) This information is not readily available as sexual assaults are classified as serious assaults and included within the data for the total number of assaults. As such, the provision of this data requires considerable manual extraction, which is not an effective use of resources at this point in time. (2) (a) There were 481 prisoner-on-prisoner physical assaults for the period 1 October 2007 to 30 September 2008. (b) As per (1)(b). (3) The proportion of assaults compared with the daily average population has remained consistent over recent months as well as the past few years, indicating that the rise in prison population has not impacted on the number of assaults. This result can be attributed to the vigilance and professionalism of prison-based staff, the implementation of an intelligence-driven security framework and improvements to prisoner management. In addition, one important and central measure designed to prevent prisoners perpetrating assaults is the provision of violent offending intervention programs. In the last year of the previous Labor government, that is 2007-08, 78 of these programs were delivered. In 2008-09, 166 places were offered. An estimated 314 places will be offered in 2009-10, which will constitute a 184 per cent increase.
(b) how many prisoner-on-prisoner sexual assaults occurred across the prison system?
(b) how many prisoner-on-prisoner sexual assaults occurred across the prison system?
Hon MICHAEL MISCHIN replied: The Minister for Corrective Services advises the following, with the proviso that the requested data is available up to September 2009 only; therefore, the time period has been adjusted accordingly in the responses, and the answers will cover September to September. (1) (a) There were 552 prisoner-on-prisoner physical assaults for the period 1 October 2008 through to 30 September 2009. (b) This information is not readily available as sexual assaults are classified as serious assaults and included within the data for the total number of assaults. As such, the provision of this data requires considerable manual extraction, which is not an effective use of resources at this point in time. (2) (a) There were 481 prisoner-on-prisoner physical assaults for the period 1 October 2007 to 30 September 2008. (b) As per (1)(b). (3) The proportion of assaults compared with the daily average population has remained consistent over recent months as well as the past few years, indicating that the rise in prison population has not impacted on the number of assaults. This result can be attributed to the vigilance and professionalism of prison-based staff, the implementation of an intelligence-driven security framework and improvements to prisoner management. In addition, one important and central measure designed to prevent prisoners perpetrating assaults is the provision of violent offending intervention programs. In the last year of the previous Labor government, that is 2007-08, 78 of these programs were delivered. In 2008-09, 166 places were offered. An estimated 314 places will be offered in 2009-10, which will constitute a 184 per cent increase.
The Minister for Corrective Services advises the following, with the proviso that the requested data is available up to September 2009 only; therefore, the time period has been adjusted accordingly in the responses, and the answers will cover September to September. (1) (a) There were 552 prisoner-on-prisoner physical assaults for the period 1 October 2008 through to 30 September 2009. (b) This information is not readily available as sexual assaults are classified as serious assaults and included within the data for the total number of assaults. As such, the provision of this data requires considerable manual extraction, which is not an effective use of resources at this point in time. (2) (a) There were 481 prisoner-on-prisoner physical assaults for the period 1 October 2007 to 30 September 2008. (b) As per (1)(b). (3) The proportion of assaults compared with the daily average population has remained consistent over recent months as well as the past few years, indicating that the rise in prison population has not impacted on the number of assaults. This result can be attributed to the vigilance and professionalism of prison-based staff, the implementation of an intelligence-driven security framework and improvements to prisoner management. In addition, one important and central measure designed to prevent prisoners perpetrating assaults is the provision of violent offending intervention programs. In the last year of the previous Labor government, that is 2007-08, 78 of these programs were delivered. In 2008-09, 166 places were offered. An estimated 314 places will be offered in 2009-10, which will constitute a 184 per cent increase.
(1) (a) There were 552 prisoner-on-prisoner physical assaults for the period 1 October 2008 through to 30 September 2009. (b) This information is not readily available as sexual assaults are classified as serious assaults and included within the data for the total number of assaults. As such, the provision of this data requires considerable manual extraction, which is not an effective use of resources at this point in time. (2) (a) There were 481 prisoner-on-prisoner physical assaults for the period 1 October 2007 to 30 September 2008. (b) As per (1)(b). (3) The proportion of assaults compared with the daily average population has remained consistent over recent months as well as the past few years, indicating that the rise in prison population has not impacted on the number of assaults. This result can be attributed to the vigilance and professionalism of prison-based staff, the implementation of an intelligence-driven security framework and improvements to prisoner management. In addition, one important and central measure designed to prevent prisoners perpetrating assaults is the provision of violent offending intervention programs. In the last year of the previous Labor government, that is 2007-08, 78 of these programs were delivered. In 2008-09, 166 places were offered. An estimated 314 places will be offered in 2009-10, which will constitute a 184 per cent increase.
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