❓ Hon. Sophia Moermond questions the government's plan to reduce incarceration of low-risk, nonviolent offenders and decriminalise drug use, citing IPA research. The Minister for Corrective Services refutes the premise and states there is no plan to decriminalise drug use.
AnsweredQoN 956Legislative Council
QuestionView source ↗
CORRECTIVE SERVICES —
LOW-RISK AND NONVIOLENT OFFENDER INCARCERATION
956. Hon SOPHIA MOERMOND to the minister representing the
Minister for Police:
I refer to recent research by the
Institute of Public Affairs that found that Western Australia's
incarceration rate is the highest of all states and almost 50 per cent higher
than the national average; that Western Australian prisons are above 100 per cent
utilisation; and that reducing the incarceration rate of low-risk, nonviolent
offenders would avoid the need to build new jails, thus saving a minimum of
$350 million a year for taxpayers.
(1) Does the government have a plan
to reduce the incarceration of low-risk, nonviolent offenders?
(2) As part of a strategy
to reduce incarceration, does the government have a plan to introduce any form
of decriminalisation of drug use?
LOW-RISK AND NONVIOLENT OFFENDER INCARCERATION
956. Hon SOPHIA MOERMOND to the minister representing the
Minister for Police:
I refer to recent research by the
Institute of Public Affairs that found that Western Australia's
incarceration rate is the highest of all states and almost 50 per cent higher
than the national average; that Western Australian prisons are above 100 per cent
utilisation; and that reducing the incarceration rate of low-risk, nonviolent
offenders would avoid the need to build new jails, thus saving a minimum of
$350 million a year for taxpayers.
(1) Does the government have a plan
to reduce the incarceration of low-risk, nonviolent offenders?
(2) As part of a strategy
to reduce incarceration, does the government have a plan to introduce any form
of decriminalisation of drug use?
AnswerView source ↗
I thank the honourable member for
some notice of the question. The following answer has been provided to me by
the Minister for Corrective Services.
The preamble provided by the
honourable member is factually incorrect. The Western Australian prison
population is below capacity.
(1) The Cook Labor government invests significantly in
diversion programs, family intervention, rehabilitation and other
measures to reduce offending behaviour in the community.
(2) No.
some notice of the question. The following answer has been provided to me by
the Minister for Corrective Services.
The preamble provided by the
honourable member is factually incorrect. The Western Australian prison
population is below capacity.
(1) The Cook Labor government invests significantly in
diversion programs, family intervention, rehabilitation and other
measures to reduce offending behaviour in the community.
(2) No.
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