Visiting prisons or detention centre

If a friend or loved one is in custody, you may be concerned about what will happen to them.

Most male offenders will be remanded at Hakea Prison and female offenders will be remanded at Melaleuca Women’s Prison. Regional offenders will be assessed at the prison closest to them.

After sentencing, regardless of the crime they have committed, they are required to be assessed so staff can work out what their security rating should be, if they have any health issues and what work, education or rehabilitation programs would be helpful for them. Prisoners serving a sentence longer than 6 months will receive a more in-depth assessment which includes developing an Individual Management Plan for them.

The security classification of a prisoner is the biggest deciding factor in where he or she will serve their sentence. Other factors include how close a facility is for family and friends to visit, health needs and program availability.

The system is designed to reward good behaviour and sanction poor behaviour and unwillingness to address offending. Many prisoners will not progress through the security classification system (ie they will not automatically progress from maximum to minimum security.) The classification is based on a number of factors including the prisoner's behaviour, offence type and history and their participation in programs available within the prison system.

Safe and secure prisoner transport is a key priority for the Department of Justice. The Department has high standards of care in place to ensure the safety, security and welfare of people in custody, while they are being transported.

There are around 36,000 movements of people in custody every year via air, coach and secure vehicle throughout the state of Western Australia

The terrain travelled varies significantly from Wyndham in the north to Albany in the south and includes extreme climatic conditions.