❓ Hon Giz Watson questions the Minister for Justice on the increasing prisoner numbers in WA, particularly the disproportionate incarceration rates of Aboriginal people, and seeks information on government strategies to address these issues and underlying causes.
AnsweredQoN 2229Legislative Council
QuestionView source ↗
The Court Government presided over a staggering 38 percent increase in the total number of prisoners in a 12 month period from July 1998 to July 1999. This figure continued to rise until the Gallop Government took office in 2001, whereupon the rate decreased by 11.7 percent in the ten-month period from March to December 2001. In May 2004, the total prisoner figures again reached the peak of March 2001.
(1) How do you account for the steady increase in the total number of prisoners in Western Australia from July 2002 to May 2004?
(2) In April 2001, the Attorney General stated that the March 2001 rate of incarceration of aboriginal offenders in this State was too high. Are you aware that the figures for May 2004 now exceed the March 2001 rate by 9.7 percent for aboriginal men, and 22.9 percent for aboriginal women?
(3) What will the Government do to reduce the imprisonment rate for the total population?
(4) What will the Government do to reduce the imprisonment rate for aboriginal men and women in particular?
(5) How is the Government currently addressing the structural causes of inequity and disadvantage that result in disproportionate rates of imprisonment among certain sectors of the community?
(1) How do you account for the steady increase in the total number of prisoners in Western Australia from July 2002 to May 2004?
(2) In April 2001, the Attorney General stated that the March 2001 rate of incarceration of aboriginal offenders in this State was too high. Are you aware that the figures for May 2004 now exceed the March 2001 rate by 9.7 percent for aboriginal men, and 22.9 percent for aboriginal women?
(3) What will the Government do to reduce the imprisonment rate for the total population?
(4) What will the Government do to reduce the imprisonment rate for aboriginal men and women in particular?
(5) How is the Government currently addressing the structural causes of inequity and disadvantage that result in disproportionate rates of imprisonment among certain sectors of the community?
AnswerView source ↗
Answered
23 September 2004
Responded by
Minister for Housing and Works representing the Minister for Justice
Response time
37 days
(3) The Government accepts that a continued focus on burglaries, use of DNA and fingerprint technology, and improvement in Police clearance rates may lead to continued increases in imprisonment. In an effort to improve early release provisions for minor offenders, the Gallop Government introduced CEO Parole, to replace the problematic Home Detention program of the former Government, as an option for prisoners serving less than 12 months imprisonment. This has improved the release of short term prisoners, in particular regional/remote Indigenous offenders who the Department advise make up a substantial portion of the minor offenders. (4) The Department of Justice advise a number of initiatives are being progressed as part of the Aboriginal Justice Program. These include the following: development of state, regional and local plansfollowing the launch of the Aboriginal Justice agreement. These are developed in conjunction with Police, Department of Indigenous Affairs, Department for Community Development, and ATSIC Regional Councillors; a range of criminogenic rehabilitation programs specific to Aboriginal offenders; Gordon Inquiry implementation including Community and Juvenile Justice Regional Program Development Officer appointements in the Kimberley, Pilbara, Goldfields & Midwest regions, and expansion of Community Supervision Agreements in regional and remote areas with officer appointments in the Kimberly, Pilbara and Goldfields; implementation of the fines review pending cabinet approval; divisional Aboriginal justice plans and a human resources Indigenous employment strategy have been developed that will contirbute to reducing the rate of imprisonment for Aboriginal people. (5) A study undertaken in WA found that key factors contributing to offending and reoffending include education, employment, drug and alcohol misuse, mental and physical health, attitudes and self-control, institutionalisation and life skills, housing, financial support and debt and family networks. Some examples of the Government's social strategies to address these issues are: Children First Strategy; Statement of Commitment to a New and Just Relationship with Indigenous Western Australians; Gordon Inquiry Response; State Homelessness Strategy; State Family and Domestic Violence Strategy; State Drug and Alcohol Strategy; State Anti-Poverty Strategy; and State Community Safety and Crime Prevention Strategy
(4) The Department of Justice advise a number of initiatives are being progressed as part of the Aboriginal Justice Program. These include the following: development of state, regional and local plansfollowing the launch of the Aboriginal Justice agreement. These are developed in conjunction with Police, Department of Indigenous Affairs, Department for Community Development, and ATSIC Regional Councillors; a range of criminogenic rehabilitation programs specific to Aboriginal offenders; Gordon Inquiry implementation including Community and Juvenile Justice Regional Program Development Officer appointements in the Kimberley, Pilbara, Goldfields & Midwest regions, and expansion of Community Supervision Agreements in regional and remote areas with officer appointments in the Kimberly, Pilbara and Goldfields; implementation of the fines review pending cabinet approval; divisional Aboriginal justice plans and a human resources Indigenous employment strategy have been developed that will contirbute to reducing the rate of imprisonment for Aboriginal people. (5) A study undertaken in WA found that key factors contributing to offending and reoffending include education, employment, drug and alcohol misuse, mental and physical health, attitudes and self-control, institutionalisation and life skills, housing, financial support and debt and family networks. Some examples of the Government's social strategies to address these issues are: Children First Strategy; Statement of Commitment to a New and Just Relationship with Indigenous Western Australians; Gordon Inquiry Response; State Homelessness Strategy; State Family and Domestic Violence Strategy; State Drug and Alcohol Strategy; State Anti-Poverty Strategy; and State Community Safety and Crime Prevention Strategy
(4) The Department of Justice advise a number of initiatives are being progressed as part of the Aboriginal Justice Program. These include the following: development of state, regional and local plansfollowing the launch of the Aboriginal Justice agreement. These are developed in conjunction with Police, Department of Indigenous Affairs, Department for Community Development, and ATSIC Regional Councillors; a range of criminogenic rehabilitation programs specific to Aboriginal offenders; Gordon Inquiry implementation including Community and Juvenile Justice Regional Program Development Officer appointements in the Kimberley, Pilbara, Goldfields & Midwest regions, and expansion of Community Supervision Agreements in regional and remote areas with officer appointments in the Kimberly, Pilbara and Goldfields; implementation of the fines review pending cabinet approval; divisional Aboriginal justice plans and a human resources Indigenous employment strategy have been developed that will contirbute to reducing the rate of imprisonment for Aboriginal people. (5) A study undertaken in WA found that key factors contributing to offending and reoffending include education, employment, drug and alcohol misuse, mental and physical health, attitudes and self-control, institutionalisation and life skills, housing, financial support and debt and family networks. Some examples of the Government's social strategies to address these issues are: Children First Strategy; Statement of Commitment to a New and Just Relationship with Indigenous Western Australians; Gordon Inquiry Response; State Homelessness Strategy; State Family and Domestic Violence Strategy; State Drug and Alcohol Strategy; State Anti-Poverty Strategy; and State Community Safety and Crime Prevention Strategy
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