❓ QoN addresses indigenous youth/adult homelessness & imprisonment rates, seeking data on homelessness, prison spending vs. housing, & policies preventing prisons as de facto housing. Answer provides limited data, cites programs, & highlights challenges in data collection.
AnsweredQoN 151Legislative Council
QuestionView source ↗
Given the high rates of imprisonment and homelessness amongst indigenous youth and adults, I ask the Minister -
(1) How many of the young indigenous people who appear before the Children’s Court are homeless?
(2) Has research been undertaken to determine the extent of homelessness amongst adult indigenous prisoners, indigenous juvenile detainees and their families?
(3) If yes, what are the results?
(4) How many indigenous prisoners face homelessness on release from prison?
(5) How much has the Western Australian Government spent on prisons in the last 12 years, in comparison to the amount spent on housing homeless aboriginal youth and their families?
(6) What is the Government’s policy to ensure that prisons and juvenile detention centres are not used as defacto substitute for housing indigenous people?
(1) How many of the young indigenous people who appear before the Children’s Court are homeless?
(2) Has research been undertaken to determine the extent of homelessness amongst adult indigenous prisoners, indigenous juvenile detainees and their families?
(3) If yes, what are the results?
(4) How many indigenous prisoners face homelessness on release from prison?
(5) How much has the Western Australian Government spent on prisons in the last 12 years, in comparison to the amount spent on housing homeless aboriginal youth and their families?
(6) What is the Government’s policy to ensure that prisons and juvenile detention centres are not used as defacto substitute for housing indigenous people?
AnswerView source ↗
Answered
22 October 2002
Responded by
Minister for Racing and Gaming representing the Attorney General
Response time
28 days
The number of recorded addresses is very high but there is no relationship between where an address has been given and as to whether the person is actually at that address 2. Research has not been conducted to determine the extent of homelessness amongst adult indigenous prisoners. However, scoping for research is currently underway to determine the extent of accommodation difficulties being experienced by adult prisoners, including indigenous prisoners. Research has been conducted to determine the number of juvenile detainees, including indigenous juvenile detainees, who were not released from detention at their earliest date due to accommodation problems. 3. For the 12 month period to 30 June 2002, of the 183 sentenced detainees released, there were 11 indigenous detainees who were not released at their earliest release date due to accommodation problems. These are as follows: AGE MALE FEMALE 18 1 17 2 16 3 1 15 3 14 1 TOTALS 9 2 4. All prisoners who are released on an early release order must, as part of the condition, have appropriate accommodation upon release. Accurate statistics are not maintained for those prisoners released unconditionally who have or do not have appropriate accommodation at the time of release. 5. I have been advised by the Department of Housing and Works that they are unable to provide a detailed break down of expenditure solely for Aboriginal youth and their families, however, expenditure by the Department of Housing and Works in this period specifically for programs and services for Aboriginal people amounted to $244,345,901. Capital expenditure on prisons by the Department of Justice for the years ending June 1994 to June 2002 amount to $188,412,343. This information is provided for the period since the formation of the Department of Justice in March 1993. 6. Every effort is made for young people to be bailed through the Supervised Bail Program and the Regional Supervised Bail Program. Juvenile Custodial Services has also introduced the Deferred Bench Warrant Program to minimise incidence of arrest for non attendance of young people in Court. Additionally, every effort is made in conjunction with the Department of Justices’ Community Justice Services to ensure the timely release of all offenders with appropriate accommodation and relevant support. Strategies have also been put in place to provide appropriate alternatives to imprisonment for those who have not been convicted of serious crimes, by increasingly using meaningful community work options, effective supervision regimes, “best practice” programmatic interventions, diversion of low-risk offenders, ensuring offenders make suitable reparation to the community and assisting offenders make a successful re-entry into the community. The sentencing Act 1995 also provides that imprisonment should be the option of last resort and provides that the court must consider the appropriateness of a hierarchy of other options before determining that an offender is placed in custody.
2. Research has not been conducted to determine the extent of homelessness amongst adult indigenous prisoners. However, scoping for research is currently underway to determine the extent of accommodation difficulties being experienced by adult prisoners, including indigenous prisoners. Research has been conducted to determine the number of juvenile detainees, including indigenous juvenile detainees, who were not released from detention at their earliest date due to accommodation problems. 3. For the 12 month period to 30 June 2002, of the 183 sentenced detainees released, there were 11 indigenous detainees who were not released at their earliest release date due to accommodation problems. These are as follows: AGE MALE FEMALE 18 1 17 2 16 3 1 15 3 14 1 TOTALS 9 2 4. All prisoners who are released on an early release order must, as part of the condition, have appropriate accommodation upon release. Accurate statistics are not maintained for those prisoners released unconditionally who have or do not have appropriate accommodation at the time of release. 5. I have been advised by the Department of Housing and Works that they are unable to provide a detailed break down of expenditure solely for Aboriginal youth and their families, however, expenditure by the Department of Housing and Works in this period specifically for programs and services for Aboriginal people amounted to $244,345,901. Capital expenditure on prisons by the Department of Justice for the years ending June 1994 to June 2002 amount to $188,412,343. This information is provided for the period since the formation of the Department of Justice in March 1993. 6. Every effort is made for young people to be bailed through the Supervised Bail Program and the Regional Supervised Bail Program. Juvenile Custodial Services has also introduced the Deferred Bench Warrant Program to minimise incidence of arrest for non attendance of young people in Court. Additionally, every effort is made in conjunction with the Department of Justices’ Community Justice Services to ensure the timely release of all offenders with appropriate accommodation and relevant support. Strategies have also been put in place to provide appropriate alternatives to imprisonment for those who have not been convicted of serious crimes, by increasingly using meaningful community work options, effective supervision regimes, “best practice” programmatic interventions, diversion of low-risk offenders, ensuring offenders make suitable reparation to the community and assisting offenders make a successful re-entry into the community. The sentencing Act 1995 also provides that imprisonment should be the option of last resort and provides that the court must consider the appropriateness of a hierarchy of other options before determining that an offender is placed in custody.
3. For the 12 month period to 30 June 2002, of the 183 sentenced detainees released, there were 11 indigenous detainees who were not released at their earliest release date due to accommodation problems. These are as follows: AGE MALE FEMALE 18 1 17 2 16 3 1 15 3 14 1 TOTALS 9 2 4. All prisoners who are released on an early release order must, as part of the condition, have appropriate accommodation upon release. Accurate statistics are not maintained for those prisoners released unconditionally who have or do not have appropriate accommodation at the time of release. 5. I have been advised by the Department of Housing and Works that they are unable to provide a detailed break down of expenditure solely for Aboriginal youth and their families, however, expenditure by the Department of Housing and Works in this period specifically for programs and services for Aboriginal people amounted to $244,345,901. Capital expenditure on prisons by the Department of Justice for the years ending June 1994 to June 2002 amount to $188,412,343. This information is provided for the period since the formation of the Department of Justice in March 1993. 6. Every effort is made for young people to be bailed through the Supervised Bail Program and the Regional Supervised Bail Program. Juvenile Custodial Services has also introduced the Deferred Bench Warrant Program to minimise incidence of arrest for non attendance of young people in Court. Additionally, every effort is made in conjunction with the Department of Justices’ Community Justice Services to ensure the timely release of all offenders with appropriate accommodation and relevant support. Strategies have also been put in place to provide appropriate alternatives to imprisonment for those who have not been convicted of serious crimes, by increasingly using meaningful community work options, effective supervision regimes, “best practice” programmatic interventions, diversion of low-risk offenders, ensuring offenders make suitable reparation to the community and assisting offenders make a successful re-entry into the community. The sentencing Act 1995 also provides that imprisonment should be the option of last resort and provides that the court must consider the appropriateness of a hierarchy of other options before determining that an offender is placed in custody.
5. I have been advised by the Department of Housing and Works that they are unable to provide a detailed break down of expenditure solely for Aboriginal youth and their families, however, expenditure by the Department of Housing and Works in this period specifically for programs and services for Aboriginal people amounted to $244,345,901. Capital expenditure on prisons by the Department of Justice for the years ending June 1994 to June 2002 amount to $188,412,343. This information is provided for the period since the formation of the Department of Justice in March 1993. 6. Every effort is made for young people to be bailed through the Supervised Bail Program and the Regional Supervised Bail Program. Juvenile Custodial Services has also introduced the Deferred Bench Warrant Program to minimise incidence of arrest for non attendance of young people in Court. Additionally, every effort is made in conjunction with the Department of Justices’ Community Justice Services to ensure the timely release of all offenders with appropriate accommodation and relevant support. Strategies have also been put in place to provide appropriate alternatives to imprisonment for those who have not been convicted of serious crimes, by increasingly using meaningful community work options, effective supervision regimes, “best practice” programmatic interventions, diversion of low-risk offenders, ensuring offenders make suitable reparation to the community and assisting offenders make a successful re-entry into the community. The sentencing Act 1995 also provides that imprisonment should be the option of last resort and provides that the court must consider the appropriateness of a hierarchy of other options before determining that an offender is placed in custody.
Capital expenditure on prisons by the Department of Justice for the years ending June 1994 to June 2002 amount to $188,412,343. This information is provided for the period since the formation of the Department of Justice in March 1993. 6. Every effort is made for young people to be bailed through the Supervised Bail Program and the Regional Supervised Bail Program. Juvenile Custodial Services has also introduced the Deferred Bench Warrant Program to minimise incidence of arrest for non attendance of young people in Court. Additionally, every effort is made in conjunction with the Department of Justices’ Community Justice Services to ensure the timely release of all offenders with appropriate accommodation and relevant support. Strategies have also been put in place to provide appropriate alternatives to imprisonment for those who have not been convicted of serious crimes, by increasingly using meaningful community work options, effective supervision regimes, “best practice” programmatic interventions, diversion of low-risk offenders, ensuring offenders make suitable reparation to the community and assisting offenders make a successful re-entry into the community. The sentencing Act 1995 also provides that imprisonment should be the option of last resort and provides that the court must consider the appropriateness of a hierarchy of other options before determining that an offender is placed in custody.
6. Every effort is made for young people to be bailed through the Supervised Bail Program and the Regional Supervised Bail Program. Juvenile Custodial Services has also introduced the Deferred Bench Warrant Program to minimise incidence of arrest for non attendance of young people in Court. Additionally, every effort is made in conjunction with the Department of Justices’ Community Justice Services to ensure the timely release of all offenders with appropriate accommodation and relevant support. Strategies have also been put in place to provide appropriate alternatives to imprisonment for those who have not been convicted of serious crimes, by increasingly using meaningful community work options, effective supervision regimes, “best practice” programmatic interventions, diversion of low-risk offenders, ensuring offenders make suitable reparation to the community and assisting offenders make a successful re-entry into the community. The sentencing Act 1995 also provides that imprisonment should be the option of last resort and provides that the court must consider the appropriateness of a hierarchy of other options before determining that an offender is placed in custody.
Additionally, every effort is made in conjunction with the Department of Justices’ Community Justice Services to ensure the timely release of all offenders with appropriate accommodation and relevant support. Strategies have also been put in place to provide appropriate alternatives to imprisonment for those who have not been convicted of serious crimes, by increasingly using meaningful community work options, effective supervision regimes, “best practice” programmatic interventions, diversion of low-risk offenders, ensuring offenders make suitable reparation to the community and assisting offenders make a successful re-entry into the community. The sentencing Act 1995 also provides that imprisonment should be the option of last resort and provides that the court must consider the appropriateness of a hierarchy of other options before determining that an offender is placed in custody.
Strategies have also been put in place to provide appropriate alternatives to imprisonment for those who have not been convicted of serious crimes, by increasingly using meaningful community work options, effective supervision regimes, “best practice” programmatic interventions, diversion of low-risk offenders, ensuring offenders make suitable reparation to the community and assisting offenders make a successful re-entry into the community. The sentencing Act 1995 also provides that imprisonment should be the option of last resort and provides that the court must consider the appropriateness of a hierarchy of other options before determining that an offender is placed in custody.
The sentencing Act 1995 also provides that imprisonment should be the option of last resort and provides that the court must consider the appropriateness of a hierarchy of other options before determining that an offender is placed in custody.
2. Research has not been conducted to determine the extent of homelessness amongst adult indigenous prisoners. However, scoping for research is currently underway to determine the extent of accommodation difficulties being experienced by adult prisoners, including indigenous prisoners. Research has been conducted to determine the number of juvenile detainees, including indigenous juvenile detainees, who were not released from detention at their earliest date due to accommodation problems. 3. For the 12 month period to 30 June 2002, of the 183 sentenced detainees released, there were 11 indigenous detainees who were not released at their earliest release date due to accommodation problems. These are as follows: AGE MALE FEMALE 18 1 17 2 16 3 1 15 3 14 1 TOTALS 9 2 4. All prisoners who are released on an early release order must, as part of the condition, have appropriate accommodation upon release. Accurate statistics are not maintained for those prisoners released unconditionally who have or do not have appropriate accommodation at the time of release. 5. I have been advised by the Department of Housing and Works that they are unable to provide a detailed break down of expenditure solely for Aboriginal youth and their families, however, expenditure by the Department of Housing and Works in this period specifically for programs and services for Aboriginal people amounted to $244,345,901. Capital expenditure on prisons by the Department of Justice for the years ending June 1994 to June 2002 amount to $188,412,343. This information is provided for the period since the formation of the Department of Justice in March 1993. 6. Every effort is made for young people to be bailed through the Supervised Bail Program and the Regional Supervised Bail Program. Juvenile Custodial Services has also introduced the Deferred Bench Warrant Program to minimise incidence of arrest for non attendance of young people in Court. Additionally, every effort is made in conjunction with the Department of Justices’ Community Justice Services to ensure the timely release of all offenders with appropriate accommodation and relevant support. Strategies have also been put in place to provide appropriate alternatives to imprisonment for those who have not been convicted of serious crimes, by increasingly using meaningful community work options, effective supervision regimes, “best practice” programmatic interventions, diversion of low-risk offenders, ensuring offenders make suitable reparation to the community and assisting offenders make a successful re-entry into the community. The sentencing Act 1995 also provides that imprisonment should be the option of last resort and provides that the court must consider the appropriateness of a hierarchy of other options before determining that an offender is placed in custody.
3. For the 12 month period to 30 June 2002, of the 183 sentenced detainees released, there were 11 indigenous detainees who were not released at their earliest release date due to accommodation problems. These are as follows: AGE MALE FEMALE 18 1 17 2 16 3 1 15 3 14 1 TOTALS 9 2 4. All prisoners who are released on an early release order must, as part of the condition, have appropriate accommodation upon release. Accurate statistics are not maintained for those prisoners released unconditionally who have or do not have appropriate accommodation at the time of release. 5. I have been advised by the Department of Housing and Works that they are unable to provide a detailed break down of expenditure solely for Aboriginal youth and their families, however, expenditure by the Department of Housing and Works in this period specifically for programs and services for Aboriginal people amounted to $244,345,901. Capital expenditure on prisons by the Department of Justice for the years ending June 1994 to June 2002 amount to $188,412,343. This information is provided for the period since the formation of the Department of Justice in March 1993. 6. Every effort is made for young people to be bailed through the Supervised Bail Program and the Regional Supervised Bail Program. Juvenile Custodial Services has also introduced the Deferred Bench Warrant Program to minimise incidence of arrest for non attendance of young people in Court. Additionally, every effort is made in conjunction with the Department of Justices’ Community Justice Services to ensure the timely release of all offenders with appropriate accommodation and relevant support. Strategies have also been put in place to provide appropriate alternatives to imprisonment for those who have not been convicted of serious crimes, by increasingly using meaningful community work options, effective supervision regimes, “best practice” programmatic interventions, diversion of low-risk offenders, ensuring offenders make suitable reparation to the community and assisting offenders make a successful re-entry into the community. The sentencing Act 1995 also provides that imprisonment should be the option of last resort and provides that the court must consider the appropriateness of a hierarchy of other options before determining that an offender is placed in custody.
5. I have been advised by the Department of Housing and Works that they are unable to provide a detailed break down of expenditure solely for Aboriginal youth and their families, however, expenditure by the Department of Housing and Works in this period specifically for programs and services for Aboriginal people amounted to $244,345,901. Capital expenditure on prisons by the Department of Justice for the years ending June 1994 to June 2002 amount to $188,412,343. This information is provided for the period since the formation of the Department of Justice in March 1993. 6. Every effort is made for young people to be bailed through the Supervised Bail Program and the Regional Supervised Bail Program. Juvenile Custodial Services has also introduced the Deferred Bench Warrant Program to minimise incidence of arrest for non attendance of young people in Court. Additionally, every effort is made in conjunction with the Department of Justices’ Community Justice Services to ensure the timely release of all offenders with appropriate accommodation and relevant support. Strategies have also been put in place to provide appropriate alternatives to imprisonment for those who have not been convicted of serious crimes, by increasingly using meaningful community work options, effective supervision regimes, “best practice” programmatic interventions, diversion of low-risk offenders, ensuring offenders make suitable reparation to the community and assisting offenders make a successful re-entry into the community. The sentencing Act 1995 also provides that imprisonment should be the option of last resort and provides that the court must consider the appropriateness of a hierarchy of other options before determining that an offender is placed in custody.
Capital expenditure on prisons by the Department of Justice for the years ending June 1994 to June 2002 amount to $188,412,343. This information is provided for the period since the formation of the Department of Justice in March 1993. 6. Every effort is made for young people to be bailed through the Supervised Bail Program and the Regional Supervised Bail Program. Juvenile Custodial Services has also introduced the Deferred Bench Warrant Program to minimise incidence of arrest for non attendance of young people in Court. Additionally, every effort is made in conjunction with the Department of Justices’ Community Justice Services to ensure the timely release of all offenders with appropriate accommodation and relevant support. Strategies have also been put in place to provide appropriate alternatives to imprisonment for those who have not been convicted of serious crimes, by increasingly using meaningful community work options, effective supervision regimes, “best practice” programmatic interventions, diversion of low-risk offenders, ensuring offenders make suitable reparation to the community and assisting offenders make a successful re-entry into the community. The sentencing Act 1995 also provides that imprisonment should be the option of last resort and provides that the court must consider the appropriateness of a hierarchy of other options before determining that an offender is placed in custody.
6. Every effort is made for young people to be bailed through the Supervised Bail Program and the Regional Supervised Bail Program. Juvenile Custodial Services has also introduced the Deferred Bench Warrant Program to minimise incidence of arrest for non attendance of young people in Court. Additionally, every effort is made in conjunction with the Department of Justices’ Community Justice Services to ensure the timely release of all offenders with appropriate accommodation and relevant support. Strategies have also been put in place to provide appropriate alternatives to imprisonment for those who have not been convicted of serious crimes, by increasingly using meaningful community work options, effective supervision regimes, “best practice” programmatic interventions, diversion of low-risk offenders, ensuring offenders make suitable reparation to the community and assisting offenders make a successful re-entry into the community. The sentencing Act 1995 also provides that imprisonment should be the option of last resort and provides that the court must consider the appropriateness of a hierarchy of other options before determining that an offender is placed in custody.
Additionally, every effort is made in conjunction with the Department of Justices’ Community Justice Services to ensure the timely release of all offenders with appropriate accommodation and relevant support. Strategies have also been put in place to provide appropriate alternatives to imprisonment for those who have not been convicted of serious crimes, by increasingly using meaningful community work options, effective supervision regimes, “best practice” programmatic interventions, diversion of low-risk offenders, ensuring offenders make suitable reparation to the community and assisting offenders make a successful re-entry into the community. The sentencing Act 1995 also provides that imprisonment should be the option of last resort and provides that the court must consider the appropriateness of a hierarchy of other options before determining that an offender is placed in custody.
Strategies have also been put in place to provide appropriate alternatives to imprisonment for those who have not been convicted of serious crimes, by increasingly using meaningful community work options, effective supervision regimes, “best practice” programmatic interventions, diversion of low-risk offenders, ensuring offenders make suitable reparation to the community and assisting offenders make a successful re-entry into the community. The sentencing Act 1995 also provides that imprisonment should be the option of last resort and provides that the court must consider the appropriateness of a hierarchy of other options before determining that an offender is placed in custody.
The sentencing Act 1995 also provides that imprisonment should be the option of last resort and provides that the court must consider the appropriateness of a hierarchy of other options before determining that an offender is placed in custody.
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