❓ Question regarding alternative arrangements for social visits in WA prisons due to COVID-19, and the Department's response outlining increased communication options like free phone calls, increased free letters, and the deployment of E-Visit Kiosks and piloting of video calling.
AnsweredQoN 6094Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
I refer to the suspension of social visits due to COVID-19/coronavirus in Western Australian prisons, and I ask: (a) What alternative arrangements have been made for social visits: (i) If the arrangement has been made to conduct social visits via electronic means, what technology is being adopted for electronic assisted visits; and (ii) Is the number of electronic assisted visits different to the frequency of face to face visits: (A) if yes to (ii), how is it different?
AnswerView source ↗
Answered
19 May 2020
Responded by
Minister for Emergency Services; Corrective Services
Response time
6 days
(a) Prisoners and detainees have access to the Prison Telephone System (PTS) and E-Visit Kiosks. All prisoners and detainees are being offered free telephone calls via the PTS. All sentenced prisoners and detainees can send 16 letters per month at the prison’s expense (increased from 12). Remand prisoners continue to be able to send unlimited letters.
(i) Additional E-Visit Kiosks are being deployed. The use of fixed tablets using video calling (Skype or other conferencing solutions) is being piloted. The emailaprisoner.com.au service is in use at a number of sites.
(ii) Yes.
(iii) In the first instance the frequency of electronic assisted visits will be less due to technical limitations and the need to maintain social distancing.
(i) Additional E-Visit Kiosks are being deployed. The use of fixed tablets using video calling (Skype or other conferencing solutions) is being piloted. The emailaprisoner.com.au service is in use at a number of sites.
(ii) Yes.
(iii) In the first instance the frequency of electronic assisted visits will be less due to technical limitations and the need to maintain social distancing.
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