Applications to host prisoner work camp invited

4/6/99
Applications to host a prisoner work camp are being invited from local communities across Western Australia.
The Attorney General Peter Foss said the expansion of WA's prison work camp project over the next four years was announced as part of the State Budget with more than $3.1million committed to the project.
"The enthusiasm of prisoners, prison officers and the local community for existing work camps has encouraged the State Government to expand the number of work camps to other areas of Western Australia for the benefit of other communities, the prison system and individual prisoners," Mr Foss said.
"It is planned to establish up to four camps in regional areas - either fixed or mobile. The six work camps will involve up to 72 prisoners and operate on a seven-day-per-week basis."
Local authorities have expressed great interest in attracting work camps to their areas and expressions of interest are being called to determine where the camps should be based.
It is anticipated the dollar value of the work carried out in 1999-2000 will be nearly $950,000.
Two camps, one in the south-west, the other in the central-west, were started last year.
The first prison work camp was established in January last year at Walpole and following its success, a second camp was established in July at Badgingarra, 200km north of Perth. The Walpole camp operates seven days a week with prisoners drawn from Pardelup Prison Farm. Badgingarra work camp prisoners come from Wooroloo.
Each camp caters for up to 12 minimum-security male prisoners who are selected according to strict criteria.
Prisoners who are selected to participate in the program are those who have earned a high level of trust, have a strong work ethic and a successful track record on day-release programs.
Among some of the projects which have been successfully completed are the upgrading of the Bibbulman Track, reforestation on Rottnest Island, maintenance and repairs to the Walpole Telecentre, reticulation and landscaping of the Walpole Recreation Centre, construction of footbridges and path laying on the ocean foreshore, tidy towns projects in Badgingarra and fencing of the Badgingarra oval.
"The work camp concept is one of the most innovative and rewarding projects that the Ministry of Justice has undertaken. It is a project that has received consistent praise from all sections of the community in which it operates," Mr Foss said.
"The community is getting an asset or improvements to assets which it might otherwise not have been able to afford and prisoners learn skills and self respect, are kept occupied and gain job satisfaction.
"The expansion of work camps demonstrates the State Government's commitment to finding solutions to law and order issues and providing prisoners with skills training, a strong work ethic and self responsibility which will assist them in obtaining employment on release from prison."
"Through Safer WA the Government is developing new ways to improve community safety and security.
"The camps are a major step forward in efforts to ensure that prisoners repay their debt to society with direct community restoration."
"Furthermore, they develop and maintains community infrastructure, particularly of a recreational and environmental nature,"
Mr Foss said.
Local communities interested in hosting a prison work camp should obtain an Expression of Interest booklet from Kathy Csaba at the Ministry of Justice, 141 St Georges Terrace PERTH. WA 6000. Ms. Csaba can also be contacted on tel (08) 9264 6185, facsimile (08) 9264 6186 and email csabak@justice.mojwa.gov.au.
Media contact: Chris Morris 9321 2222