WA: Govt rejects call for prisons inquiry

AAP General News (Australia)
12-31-1998
WA: Govt rejects call for prisons inquiry

By Paul Ruffini

PERTH, Dec 31 AAP - The West Australian government today rejected calls for an inquiry into
the state's prison system as escapes continued and inmates at the maximum security Casuarina
jail reportedly threatened a New Year's day riot.

In a troubled six days for the WA system, which started with drug-fuelled Christmas Day
riots at Casuarina, three prisoners walked out of the minimum security Pardelup Prison today.

One of the escapees, Lionel Robert Whitby, 21, had served less than a third of an
eight-year prison sentence for manslaughter and other offences.

It follows the escape of six prisoners from Wooroloo Prison Farm on Tuesday who walked out
of their dormitory.

Police have described the prisoners as dangerous and warned members of the public not to
approach them.

There are currently 14 escapees at large in WA out of a prison population of 2,570.

The government has announced an inquiry into the Christmas Day riot but rejected as
"grandstanding" state opposition calls for a broad inquiry into overcrowding and under-funding
of the WA prison system.

"I don't subscribe to the view there needs to be some sort of all-embracing inquiry at all
into the prison system," Acting Justice Minister Kevin Prince said today.

"I don't think that's called for on any evidence at all."

However, Mr Prince said a review would begin in two weeks of the progressive security
rating system which determines if prisoners should be held in maximum, medium or minimum
security prisons.

He defended the current rating system but admitted it "doesn't work perfectly for
everyone".

Despite the recent breakouts from minimum security prisons, Mr Prince said Justice Ministry
officials had to balance punishment against rehabilitation in determining where the prisoners
would be held.

"We'll look at the assessment system. It's being handled right now and if it needs to be
changed it will be," he said.

The Justice Department's acting executive director of offender management Athol Jamieson
said it was a reality that some prisoners being prepared for release at open minimum security
prisons would break the system of trust.

"If they chose to leave, for family reasons generally, then they will," he said.

Mr Prince refused to comment on a reports in The West Australian newspaper that prisoners
at Casuarina were preparing for another riot tomorrow, saying it was a security matter for the
officers at the jail.

AAP pr/jnb

KEYWORD: ESCAPE WA NIGHTLEAD

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