"This is the Holy Grail of when you’re finishing prison – the promised land, as they say," one of the prisoners at Warburton Prison Camp said. "It can be a bit daunting at first because it's so far away but once you're here, you don't look back."
For more than 20 years, work camps have been supporting regional WA through a wide range of services – and giving prisoners one of the best chances for success when they re-enter the community.
"When you talk about work camps, you're talking about hope and opportunity," Corrective Services Commissioner Brad Royce said at a recent visit to the camp.
"We're seeing where we can reform people's lives, give them a chance to come back into our community, and contribute to a safer Western Australia – and that's what it's all about."
Operated by Eastern Goldfields Regional Prison, the Warburton camp performs several tasks for the remote community and Shire which often struggle with staffing, including roadworks, land care, infrastructure maintenance, and community work for the local Elders.
The men in care become part of a work team – not just with fellow prisoners but the dedicated staff who play a crucial role in their rehabilitation.
"The feedback from prisoners is that staff are going above what is expected and doing a lot of the reintegration work and I'm incredibly proud of that," said Commissioner Royce.
"It teaches the guys a fair few skills and we treat them like a work party – they might have a better way of going about something and you take that on board, and everyone gets along," Work Camp Relief S95 Officer Ryan said.
“If you put the work in and actually want to have a good go of getting out of prison and staying out, this is where you want to be,” one prisoner said.
With camps in Dowerin, Roebourne, Walpole, and Wyndham there are opportunities around the State for eligible prisoners to volunteer for work camp placement, progress through a stringent, ongoing security process, and take on a positive role in the community.
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