New women's unit at Greenough

• New 69-bed women's unit at Greenough Regional Prison
• Liberal-National Govt added 104 female beds to regional prisons since November

A new women's unit at Greenough Regional Prison is set to provide better rehabilitative services and keep more female prisoners 'in country'.

Opened today by Corrective Services Minister Murray Cowper, the new unit aims to reduce reoffending by providing women with the skills and opportunities to give them the best chance, when released of successfully reintegrating with their families and communities.

"The new unit includes access to a designated education centre that will provide women with learning opportunities and other life skills' programs to reduce reoffending," Mr Cowper said.

"It is important that this new unit increases the female bed capacity at Greenough Regional Prison from 25 to 69, which will have a significant impact on our ability to keep more female prisoners in regional Western Australia rather than having to transfer them to Perth.

"Keeping women prisoners in regional centres allows them to maintain important family links during the period of detention, which is a significant factor in reducing the chances of re-offending. Combined with the 30 beds at West Kimberley Regional Prison, the Liberal-National Government has added 74 female beds in regional prisons since November this year."

The Minister said $700,000 had been spent refurbishing and upgrading cells within what was previously a male unit to create the precinct, including the installation of separate rooms for the delivery of programs and additional security fencing.

The old 25-bed female unit will be converted to a male earned-privilege unit, enhancing opportunities for the male prisoners at the prison.

Female prisoners from Bandyup Women's Prison in Perth have already commenced a staged fill of the new unit.

      Fact File

• Under Liberal-National Govt an unprecedented $655m has been provided to add more than 2,600 beds to WA's prison system. This includes three new prisons and four new work camps, a 900% increase compared with the previous government

Minister's office - 6552 5700