Poor prison conditions prompt watchdog call for inquiry
While the prisoners in a male prison were asleep on the floors next to the toilets, while a prison observer asked for an official investigation.
He said that people in Western Australia’s Hakea prison have been subjected to unacceptable conditions that have little falling from international standards and international standards.
The problems in the facility reflect the wider problems in the overcrowded WA prisons system, leading to inhuman treatment of prisoners and prosperity problems for personnel.
HAKEA prisoners could not reach clean clothes and had tremendous difficulties in communicating with the family, Mr. Ryan said in his report for a follow -up examination after a demonstration in April.
“I advised the government to initiate an official investigation into the activities of the Hakea Prison,” the inspector of the prisons said on Tuesday. He said.
He said that the investigation is essential to find practical solutions that protect the rights of the prisoners and provide a safe and sustainable working environment for personnel.
“In a modern justice system, it is deep in a modern justice system that people sleep on the floors next to the toilets, refuse to have daily access to the shower, can not access clean clothes, have no difficulty in communicating with the family, and deprived of fresh air.” He said.
“According to this advice, the responsibility of acting now belongs to the minister and the government.”
The latest examination in HAKEA made an effort to address the prisoner conditions and shortage of personnel, but the facility continued to meet the basic standards.
Ryan was part of a wider WA prison operating beyond the capacity of “personnel, infrastructure and prisoner’s prosperity”.
The previous HAKEA examination in 2024 was ruthlessly held in non -hygienic cells invaded by pests, while prisoners were exposed to excessive locations.
The prisoners regularly regularly spend less than two hours than the cell time and sometimes did not spend time outside due to shortage of staff.
HAKEA is WA’s main arrest, reception and evaluation facility for adult male prisoners.
Approximately 80 percent of the prisoners have not been convicted or convicted of crimes they were kept.
WA said that the Ministry of Justice has improved the conditions in HAKEA to increase the safety, care and prosperity of prisoners and to restore normal daily routines.
Initiatives include the support of ordinary clinical and custody personnel and new personnel agreements.
General Manager Kylie Maj, “We are determined to address the problems determined by (inspector) and to give better conditions and results for the HAKEA prisoners.” He said.
The department said that the state has established an adult prisoner coordination working group to strategically manage the entire prisoner population.
