❓ A parliamentary question addresses a prison escape in relation to a prior warning from the Inspector of Custodial Services regarding inadequate facilities at the Supreme Court custody centre. The Minister acknowledges the issue and outlines steps taken with AIMS Corporation to improve management, while also noting an independent inquiry is underway.
AnsweredQoN 343Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
I refer the minister to page 42 of the Inspector of Custodial Services’ 2001 report and his warning about the Supreme Court custody centre. Professor Harding said that a self-contained holding space - that is, with toilet and drinking facilities - is limited to the female holding cell, making it necessary to move all other accused into and out of cells to gain access to a single toilet facility. This is of concern when managing high-risk persons. (1) Is the minister aware that one of the ringleaders of the great escape had asked to go to the toilet immediately before leading his eight cellmates to freedom? (2) Is this not exactly what the Inspector of Custodial Services, Professor Harding, was talking about in his report? Could not this escape have been prevented if the minister had acted upon his report? Mrs M.H. ROBERTS
AnswerView source ↗
(1) Yes. (2) I advise the member for Kalgoorlie of the response by the Department of Justice. One of its responses was that AIMS Corporation should develop and implement active management strategies for on-site court custody support, service delivery, compliance assessments and contract performance. The department then approached AIMS about that and that was agreed to with AIMS. In fact, the report at the time shows that AIMS had replaced one coordinator and had relocated to an office in the central business district that was closer to the Central Law Courts and the Supreme Court. In addition, another coordinator was appointed to better manage the issues pertaining to casual and permanent flexitime staff. A new regional coordinator was appointed with a charter to improve communications with sites and improve the register of visits by staff from the Perth head office and the like, which was established to better coordinate the effectiveness of those site visits. The fact is that those issues were taken up with the contractor. The contractor was less happy with some matters than others. Generally, that was an acknowledged problem that the department had agreed to address and look into with the contractor, and there had been had an agreed outcome. The fact is that we are having a fully independent inquiry into this matter. I look forward to receiving that independent advice.
(1) Is the minister aware that one of the ringleaders of the great escape had asked to go to the toilet immediately before leading his eight cellmates to freedom? (2) Is this not exactly what the Inspector of Custodial Services, Professor Harding, was talking about in his report? Could not this escape have been prevented if the minister had acted upon his report? Mrs M.H. ROBERTS replied: (1) Yes. (2) I advise the member for Kalgoorlie of the response by the Department of Justice. One of its responses was that AIMS Corporation should develop and implement active management strategies for on-site court custody support, service delivery, compliance assessments and contract performance. The department then approached AIMS about that and that was agreed to with AIMS. In fact, the report at the time shows that AIMS had replaced one coordinator and had relocated to an office in the central business district that was closer to the Central Law Courts and the Supreme Court. In addition, another coordinator was appointed to better manage the issues pertaining to casual and permanent flexitime staff. A new regional coordinator was appointed with a charter to improve communications with sites and improve the register of visits by staff from the Perth head office and the like, which was established to better coordinate the effectiveness of those site visits. The fact is that those issues were taken up with the contractor. The contractor was less happy with some matters than others. Generally, that was an acknowledged problem that the department had agreed to address and look into with the contractor, and there had been had an agreed outcome. The fact is that we are having a fully independent inquiry into this matter. I look forward to receiving that independent advice.
(2) Is this not exactly what the Inspector of Custodial Services, Professor Harding, was talking about in his report? Could not this escape have been prevented if the minister had acted upon his report? Mrs M.H. ROBERTS replied: (1) Yes. (2) I advise the member for Kalgoorlie of the response by the Department of Justice. One of its responses was that AIMS Corporation should develop and implement active management strategies for on-site court custody support, service delivery, compliance assessments and contract performance. The department then approached AIMS about that and that was agreed to with AIMS. In fact, the report at the time shows that AIMS had replaced one coordinator and had relocated to an office in the central business district that was closer to the Central Law Courts and the Supreme Court. In addition, another coordinator was appointed to better manage the issues pertaining to casual and permanent flexitime staff. A new regional coordinator was appointed with a charter to improve communications with sites and improve the register of visits by staff from the Perth head office and the like, which was established to better coordinate the effectiveness of those site visits. The fact is that those issues were taken up with the contractor. The contractor was less happy with some matters than others. Generally, that was an acknowledged problem that the department had agreed to address and look into with the contractor, and there had been had an agreed outcome. The fact is that we are having a fully independent inquiry into this matter. I look forward to receiving that independent advice.
Mrs M.H. ROBERTS replied: (1) Yes. (2) I advise the member for Kalgoorlie of the response by the Department of Justice. One of its responses was that AIMS Corporation should develop and implement active management strategies for on-site court custody support, service delivery, compliance assessments and contract performance. The department then approached AIMS about that and that was agreed to with AIMS. In fact, the report at the time shows that AIMS had replaced one coordinator and had relocated to an office in the central business district that was closer to the Central Law Courts and the Supreme Court. In addition, another coordinator was appointed to better manage the issues pertaining to casual and permanent flexitime staff. A new regional coordinator was appointed with a charter to improve communications with sites and improve the register of visits by staff from the Perth head office and the like, which was established to better coordinate the effectiveness of those site visits. The fact is that those issues were taken up with the contractor. The contractor was less happy with some matters than others. Generally, that was an acknowledged problem that the department had agreed to address and look into with the contractor, and there had been had an agreed outcome. The fact is that we are having a fully independent inquiry into this matter. I look forward to receiving that independent advice.
(1) Yes. (2) I advise the member for Kalgoorlie of the response by the Department of Justice. One of its responses was that AIMS Corporation should develop and implement active management strategies for on-site court custody support, service delivery, compliance assessments and contract performance. The department then approached AIMS about that and that was agreed to with AIMS. In fact, the report at the time shows that AIMS had replaced one coordinator and had relocated to an office in the central business district that was closer to the Central Law Courts and the Supreme Court. In addition, another coordinator was appointed to better manage the issues pertaining to casual and permanent flexitime staff. A new regional coordinator was appointed with a charter to improve communications with sites and improve the register of visits by staff from the Perth head office and the like, which was established to better coordinate the effectiveness of those site visits. The fact is that those issues were taken up with the contractor. The contractor was less happy with some matters than others. Generally, that was an acknowledged problem that the department had agreed to address and look into with the contractor, and there had been had an agreed outcome. The fact is that we are having a fully independent inquiry into this matter. I look forward to receiving that independent advice.
(2) I advise the member for Kalgoorlie of the response by the Department of Justice. One of its responses was that AIMS Corporation should develop and implement active management strategies for on-site court custody support, service delivery, compliance assessments and contract performance. The department then approached AIMS about that and that was agreed to with AIMS. In fact, the report at the time shows that AIMS had replaced one coordinator and had relocated to an office in the central business district that was closer to the Central Law Courts and the Supreme Court. In addition, another coordinator was appointed to better manage the issues pertaining to casual and permanent flexitime staff. A new regional coordinator was appointed with a charter to improve communications with sites and improve the register of visits by staff from the Perth head office and the like, which was established to better coordinate the effectiveness of those site visits. The fact is that those issues were taken up with the contractor. The contractor was less happy with some matters than others. Generally, that was an acknowledged problem that the department had agreed to address and look into with the contractor, and there had been had an agreed outcome. The fact is that we are having a fully independent inquiry into this matter. I look forward to receiving that independent advice.
(1) Is the minister aware that one of the ringleaders of the great escape had asked to go to the toilet immediately before leading his eight cellmates to freedom? (2) Is this not exactly what the Inspector of Custodial Services, Professor Harding, was talking about in his report? Could not this escape have been prevented if the minister had acted upon his report? Mrs M.H. ROBERTS replied: (1) Yes. (2) I advise the member for Kalgoorlie of the response by the Department of Justice. One of its responses was that AIMS Corporation should develop and implement active management strategies for on-site court custody support, service delivery, compliance assessments and contract performance. The department then approached AIMS about that and that was agreed to with AIMS. In fact, the report at the time shows that AIMS had replaced one coordinator and had relocated to an office in the central business district that was closer to the Central Law Courts and the Supreme Court. In addition, another coordinator was appointed to better manage the issues pertaining to casual and permanent flexitime staff. A new regional coordinator was appointed with a charter to improve communications with sites and improve the register of visits by staff from the Perth head office and the like, which was established to better coordinate the effectiveness of those site visits. The fact is that those issues were taken up with the contractor. The contractor was less happy with some matters than others. Generally, that was an acknowledged problem that the department had agreed to address and look into with the contractor, and there had been had an agreed outcome. The fact is that we are having a fully independent inquiry into this matter. I look forward to receiving that independent advice.
(2) Is this not exactly what the Inspector of Custodial Services, Professor Harding, was talking about in his report? Could not this escape have been prevented if the minister had acted upon his report? Mrs M.H. ROBERTS replied: (1) Yes. (2) I advise the member for Kalgoorlie of the response by the Department of Justice. One of its responses was that AIMS Corporation should develop and implement active management strategies for on-site court custody support, service delivery, compliance assessments and contract performance. The department then approached AIMS about that and that was agreed to with AIMS. In fact, the report at the time shows that AIMS had replaced one coordinator and had relocated to an office in the central business district that was closer to the Central Law Courts and the Supreme Court. In addition, another coordinator was appointed to better manage the issues pertaining to casual and permanent flexitime staff. A new regional coordinator was appointed with a charter to improve communications with sites and improve the register of visits by staff from the Perth head office and the like, which was established to better coordinate the effectiveness of those site visits. The fact is that those issues were taken up with the contractor. The contractor was less happy with some matters than others. Generally, that was an acknowledged problem that the department had agreed to address and look into with the contractor, and there had been had an agreed outcome. The fact is that we are having a fully independent inquiry into this matter. I look forward to receiving that independent advice.
Mrs M.H. ROBERTS replied: (1) Yes. (2) I advise the member for Kalgoorlie of the response by the Department of Justice. One of its responses was that AIMS Corporation should develop and implement active management strategies for on-site court custody support, service delivery, compliance assessments and contract performance. The department then approached AIMS about that and that was agreed to with AIMS. In fact, the report at the time shows that AIMS had replaced one coordinator and had relocated to an office in the central business district that was closer to the Central Law Courts and the Supreme Court. In addition, another coordinator was appointed to better manage the issues pertaining to casual and permanent flexitime staff. A new regional coordinator was appointed with a charter to improve communications with sites and improve the register of visits by staff from the Perth head office and the like, which was established to better coordinate the effectiveness of those site visits. The fact is that those issues were taken up with the contractor. The contractor was less happy with some matters than others. Generally, that was an acknowledged problem that the department had agreed to address and look into with the contractor, and there had been had an agreed outcome. The fact is that we are having a fully independent inquiry into this matter. I look forward to receiving that independent advice.
(1) Yes. (2) I advise the member for Kalgoorlie of the response by the Department of Justice. One of its responses was that AIMS Corporation should develop and implement active management strategies for on-site court custody support, service delivery, compliance assessments and contract performance. The department then approached AIMS about that and that was agreed to with AIMS. In fact, the report at the time shows that AIMS had replaced one coordinator and had relocated to an office in the central business district that was closer to the Central Law Courts and the Supreme Court. In addition, another coordinator was appointed to better manage the issues pertaining to casual and permanent flexitime staff. A new regional coordinator was appointed with a charter to improve communications with sites and improve the register of visits by staff from the Perth head office and the like, which was established to better coordinate the effectiveness of those site visits. The fact is that those issues were taken up with the contractor. The contractor was less happy with some matters than others. Generally, that was an acknowledged problem that the department had agreed to address and look into with the contractor, and there had been had an agreed outcome. The fact is that we are having a fully independent inquiry into this matter. I look forward to receiving that independent advice.
(2) I advise the member for Kalgoorlie of the response by the Department of Justice. One of its responses was that AIMS Corporation should develop and implement active management strategies for on-site court custody support, service delivery, compliance assessments and contract performance. The department then approached AIMS about that and that was agreed to with AIMS. In fact, the report at the time shows that AIMS had replaced one coordinator and had relocated to an office in the central business district that was closer to the Central Law Courts and the Supreme Court. In addition, another coordinator was appointed to better manage the issues pertaining to casual and permanent flexitime staff. A new regional coordinator was appointed with a charter to improve communications with sites and improve the register of visits by staff from the Perth head office and the like, which was established to better coordinate the effectiveness of those site visits. The fact is that those issues were taken up with the contractor. The contractor was less happy with some matters than others. Generally, that was an acknowledged problem that the department had agreed to address and look into with the contractor, and there had been had an agreed outcome. The fact is that we are having a fully independent inquiry into this matter. I look forward to receiving that independent advice.
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