Prisoner Numbers
This is the latest set of figures for our prison population in Western Australia. All of the numbers are up, but there has been a greater increase in the number of women entering the system.
June 3, 2016
Total population 6244
Indigenous prisoners 2376 38 %
Female prisoners 621 9.9 %
Indigenous females 283 46 %
There has been a 13% increase in prisoner numbers in the last 12 months
In September 2008 there were 3900 adult prisoners
The current total number of adult prisoners in WA is 6244
This represents close to a 29 per cent increase in prisoner numbers in approximately 8 years
There has been a disproportionate rise in the number of female prisoners, from 295 (7.5 per cent) to 624 (10 per cent)
In 2008 the Department expended approximately $590 million on prison services
In 2016 that budget is now $957 million a year
Why support for education and training of prisoners is important to the Department and the taxpayers of WA --
Governments generally have far less control over the flow of new prisoners into prison than they have over the flow of prisoners back to prison
The way Governments deal with prisoners while in custody, or after release, can have a big effect on the rate of return to custody and the size of the sentenced prisoner population
A prisoner’s education and employment are the most important predictors of post release recidivism.
SODEXHO who was selected to look after the female remand centre at Hakea this week and SERCO have been part of the same corporation.
I have attached a paper on the NSW correctional education situation HERE -- please note that we are quite different in how they do and perceive things … we’re ahead of the curve and are determined to continue to do so.