Prison Officers to highlight dangerous levels of overcrowding at Bunbury Regional Prison

WA Prison Officers Union officials will tomorrow (March 15^th) visit the Bunbury Regional Prison to investigate staffing levels and potentially dangerous conditions at the prison.

WAPOU  Secretary John Welch said the independent Inspector of Custodial Services had found that the occupation rate of the prison was 50 per cent higher than capacity – leading to increased violence and a breakdown in prisoner-staff relations.

“There are 338 prisoners in a facility designed to hold 223,” Mr Welch said.

“Overcrowding has led to prisoners being placed on the roof or sleeping in mattresses on the floor, increased assaults on staff and prisoners unable to access programs and services.

“This is a situation that is not sustainable, but the State Government does not seem interested in tackling it, instead they are denying that there is a problem.”

Mr Welch said he would continue to push the State Government to admit overcrowding was a problem and that it was reducing safety in WA prisons.

“The problems raised by the Inspector don’t just happen at Bunbury alone, 13 out of 14 WA’s prisons are overcrowded, with too many prisoners crammed into cells that are designed for only one prisoner,” Mr Welch said.

“If the State Government wants to be tough on law and order it must match its talk with increased investment in prisons that reduces the risks to prison officers.”

“This overcrowding increases the risk and danger for the prison officers attempting to do their job. They have a right to expect support for the crucial role they play in the justice system.”

“The Bunbury Regional Prison has a 37 person minimum security unit lying empty and we want to see this reopened to help deal with the current overcrowding crisis.”

“We have prisoners packed in three to a cell, while usable beds remain empty because the government does not want to admit the prison is overcrowded.”

“The State Government needs to come clean with the people of Bunbury and with prison workers about the risks of prison overcrowding.”

Media interviews: John Welch 0400 220 667, Rebeka Marton 0403 428 935