❓ A parliamentary question regarding prisoners obtaining driver's licenses in WA, focusing on statutory barriers, rehabilitation, and job readiness. The Attorney General confirms no statutory barriers exist and outlines programs to enhance prisoner job readiness.
AnsweredQoN 1523Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
(1) Can the Attorney General please advise the House:
(a) what are the Western Australian statutory provisions currently in place that prevent some prisoners, either while they are in prison or for a set period following their release, from being able to obtain a motor vehicle drivers license; and
(b) what is the public policy underpinning this provision?
(2) Over the last 12 months, how many prisoners have in fact been able to obtain drivers’ licenses while still in Western Australian prisons as part of the prison education program?
(3) Does the Attorney General accept that prisoner rehabilitation and reduced rates of recidivism can be assisted by ensuring that prisoners are as ‘job ready’ as possible upon their release from prison?
(4) What steps are being taken by the Attorney General to enhance the opportunity for prisoners to be as job ready as possible for their release from prison?
(5) Will the Attorney General undertake to move to amend existing statutes so that there is no legislative bar in place that delays the acquisition of a motor vehicle drivers’ license for a prisoner:
(a) while in prison; and/or
(b) immediately upon their release?
(6) If the answer to (5) is no, why not?
(a) what are the Western Australian statutory provisions currently in place that prevent some prisoners, either while they are in prison or for a set period following their release, from being able to obtain a motor vehicle drivers license; and
(b) what is the public policy underpinning this provision?
(2) Over the last 12 months, how many prisoners have in fact been able to obtain drivers’ licenses while still in Western Australian prisons as part of the prison education program?
(3) Does the Attorney General accept that prisoner rehabilitation and reduced rates of recidivism can be assisted by ensuring that prisoners are as ‘job ready’ as possible upon their release from prison?
(4) What steps are being taken by the Attorney General to enhance the opportunity for prisoners to be as job ready as possible for their release from prison?
(5) Will the Attorney General undertake to move to amend existing statutes so that there is no legislative bar in place that delays the acquisition of a motor vehicle drivers’ license for a prisoner:
(a) while in prison; and/or
(b) immediately upon their release?
(6) If the answer to (5) is no, why not?
AnswerView source ↗
Answered
13 October 2009
Response time
27 days
(1) (a) There are no statutory provisions that prevent prisoners obtaining a motor vehicle drivers license.
(b) Not applicable.
(2) Over the last 12 months, 92 prisoners have been able to obtain drivers' licenses while still in Western Australian prisons as part of the prison education program.
(3) Yes.
(4) The Prisoner Employment Program was introduced in September 2008 to ensure that prisoners are as job ready as possible for their release from prison. This program has recently expanded to include services to a much broader group than was anticipated in the original proposal.
Offenders under DCS management are assessed for their individual needs including their level of risk to the community, other individuals and themselves and based on that assessment, the right mix of ten intervention strategies - employment, structured day, education and vocational training, health, supervision and reporting, life skills, cognitive skills, offence specific programs, counselling and re-entry services - are provided as part of the offender's management plan to enhance their release and reintegration into the community.
(5-6) Not applicable.
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(b) Not applicable.
(2) Over the last 12 months, 92 prisoners have been able to obtain drivers' licenses while still in Western Australian prisons as part of the prison education program.
(3) Yes.
(4) The Prisoner Employment Program was introduced in September 2008 to ensure that prisoners are as job ready as possible for their release from prison. This program has recently expanded to include services to a much broader group than was anticipated in the original proposal.
Offenders under DCS management are assessed for their individual needs including their level of risk to the community, other individuals and themselves and based on that assessment, the right mix of ten intervention strategies - employment, structured day, education and vocational training, health, supervision and reporting, life skills, cognitive skills, offence specific programs, counselling and re-entry services - are provided as part of the offender's management plan to enhance their release and reintegration into the community.
(5-6) Not applicable.
Notice: This document is created or edited using unregistered or evaluation copy of rtLib valid for testing or development purposes only. To use it for productive or any other purposes please register it. You may purchase the license on
http://www.rtlib.com
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