West Kimberley Regional Prison News – May 2012 - Department of ...

Government of Western AustraliaDepartment of Corrective ServicesMay 2012WestnewsKimberley Regional PrisonMeeting call for local service providersThe Department of Corrective Services (DCS) is inviting Derby service providers to join in aconversation next month about what services the community might offer to West KimberleyRegional Prison (WKRP) prisoners and offenders on community-based orders.Deputy Commissioner Adult Custodial HeatherHarker said a community workshop would beheld on 13 June for participants to share localknowledge and expertise and discuss ideas for thecommunity to provide services.“The Department is keen to determine what servicesare able to be delivered locally and what supportproviders may need to increase their capacity to deliverservices,” Ms Harker said.“These community services will focus on providingprisoners and offenders, particularly those whomClass of 2012are Aboriginal, with life, vocational, educational andcognitive skills to help break the cycle of offending.“They will complement the Department’s re-entry andclinical programs related to violent behaviour andsubstance abuse which in turn will provide support toservices delivered by the community.“At the workshop, Department representatives willexplain how community organisations can registertheir interest in service opportunities that may arise.”For more details about the workshop contact Kerrie-Anne Stanley on (08) 9193 1953.DCS Commissioner Ian Johnson and Deputy Commissioner Heather Harker (middle front) joined withWKRP Superintendent Mike Macfarlane, course manager Patricia Malone (middle right) and DCSAcademy Director Deborah Harvey (middle left), prison staff, trainers and community members tocelebrate the close of the first stage of prison officer training this month. All trainees back row.See Page 3.1

WKRP Project Director Brian Lawrence showed researchers Professor Alison Liebling and Dr John Rynnearound the WKRP site.Prison attracts research interestTwo prominent researchers visited the West Kimberley Regional Prison site in April as partof their investigation into Aboriginal offenders’ experience of prison life.Dr John Rynne of Griffith University’s School ofCriminology and Criminal Justice in Queenslandand Alison Liebling, Professor of Criminologyand Criminal Justice at England’s CambridgeUniversity, were given a tour of the WKRP siteby Superintendent Mike Macfarlane and ProjectDirector Brian Lawrence before meeting withDerby Shire President Elsia Archer.Both researchers are working on a nationally-fundedstudy to develop an Australia-wide measure of prisonquality for Aboriginal people and a model of Aboriginaland Torres Strait Islander correctional best practice.Dr Rynne said the research project was investigatinghow elements of Indigenous culture could be used inprison quality to empower prisoners and how this couldbe transferred into their communities on their release.“By helping prisoners to heal and learn duringtheir prison sentence, we have the opportunityto reduce further offences and hopefully preventrearrest, which in turn will help to create safercommunities,” he said.He said the WKRP was an extraordinary achievement.“For the first time in Australia, the design, constructionand operational potential of the prison provides theinfrastructure for corrections professionals, AboriginalElders and Respected people, and local communitymembers to work collaboratively in an environmentthat acknowledges the complexities of Aboriginal andTorres Strait Islander culture,” he said.“Its world’s best practice in design and constructionis testament to a genuine will and commitment toimprove Indigenous outcomes.”“Our hope is that in 10 years we will be reading thatthe successful operational model of this prison was acatalyst for the reform of Aboriginal and Torres StraitIslander over-representation in the criminal justicesystem, a reduction in recidivism and the empoweringof Indigenous people.”The Indigenous Research Project is due for completionin 2014.WKRP Project Director Brian Lawrence said he waslooking forward to seeing how the outcomes of theresearch could be applied across WesternAustralian corrective services.2

Recruits marchto the beat of anew drumDCS welcomed 12 newprobationary prison officersto its ranks at the official closingceremony for the Entry LevelTraining Program on 11 May at theDerby Civic Centre.It was the final stage of a 13-week course thatsaw the trainees undergo a rigorous regime ofphysical training and classroom-based assessmentexperiences. The trainees now have six monthsof on-the-job training to qualify to become prisonofficers.DCS Commissioner Ian Johnson, who presented thetrainees with their Appointment Certificates, said havingsuch a strong contingent of local prison officers atWKRP would be a great asset for the prison.“Through the conversations I had with trainers andrecruits at the ceremony, it became clear that these 12trainees enrolled in the training program for all the rightreasons,” the Commissioner said.“They really want to make a positive difference in theirlocal community through the work that they will do atthe prison.”The Commissioner also acknowledged the importanceThe trainees get ready to march in to receive their certificates.of the support that the trainees’ families had given themduring the three-month course.“The life of a prison officer can be challenging at timesand strong family support plays a crucial part in helpingthem fulfil their role,” he said.Special acknowledgement on the day went to Derby’sown Officer Jonathon Kneebone who won theAchievement Award for outstanding accomplishment inthe training program, and Officer Teresa Baker who waspresented with the peer-nominated Minister’s Award forTeamwork, Diligence and Effort.The event was also attended by Inspector of CustodialServices Professor Neil Morgan, Derby Shire PresidentElsia Archer, local Elders and the trainees’ families andfriends.Officers Jonathon Kneebone and Teresa Baker wererecognised for their efforts on the course.For more information about the West KimberleyRegional Prison contact:WKRP Project OfficeWest Kimberley House Postal Address16-22 Loch Street PO Box 350Derby WA 6728 Derby WA 6728Phone: (08) 9193 1953 or (08) 9191 2066Web: www.correctiveservices.wa.gov.au© Department of Corrective Services 2012.3