1465. Hon Alison Xamon to the minister representing the Minister for Corrective Services:
I refer to the creation of dedicated alcohol and drug rehabilitation prisons in Western Australia, and to the results of a study indicating that more than 60 per cent of adults entering prison had used ice or speed in the previous 12 months, and I ask:
(a) will prisoners need to be convicted of drug or alcohol-related offences in order to be eligible for placement at a dedicated drug and alcohol rehabilitation prison; and
(b) please outline the process by which prisoners will be identified for placement in these facilities including any specific eligibility requirements?
Hon Stephen Dawson replied:
The Department of Justice (the Department) advises:
(a) No – To identify prisoners for placement at Wandoo Rehabilitation Prison for Women (Wandoo), prisoners go through a triage process whereby they are assessed against the following criteria:
Inclusion criteria:
Sentenced prisoner with minimum of 6 months imprisonment remaining to serve Minimum/medium security
History of substance misuse
Substance misuse as a primary treatment need
Motivated and willing to commit to the program
Accepts responsibility for their offending behaviour. Through the assessment process a person does not need to have specific drug related convictions to be considered suitable. Alcohol and Other Drugs (AOD) has to have played a significant part in their offending behaviour. The inclusion criteria ‘History of substance misuse’ and ‘Substance misuse as a primary treatment target’ are the most relevant to this point.
(b) The triage team at Wandoo is a multidisciplinary team of four staff and are responsible for assessing the person against the criteria. The team includes two Psychologist who utilise risk assessment tools designed to identify a) risk of reoffending (generally and specific to violence) and b) criminogenic factors linked to a person’s offending behaviours. Once again, the two criteria ‘History of substance misuse’ and ‘Substance misuse as a primary treatment target’ are the most relevant to this point. Referrals are received from prisoners in metropolitan and regional prisons and the Department is working towards a process whereby prisoners can be identified and referred immediately following sentencing at Court. Prisoners are assessed against the above criteria (inclusion and exclusion). Input from Mental Health staff is required as part of this process to ensure a prisoner has no unmanaged mental health problems. If assessed as suitable, transfer to Wandoo can take place, the idea being that a prisoner’s time exposed to the mainstream prison environment is minimised.