West Kimberley Regional Prison (WKRP) was opened in 2012 with an innovative Aboriginal focus. The philosophy underpinning the prison was developed from consultations with Aboriginal leaders and community members, coming together in 2005 as the Kimberley Aboriginal Reference Group (KARG). The philosophy stated Kimberley prisoners should be held on or close to Country and that traditional Kimberley Aboriginal culture should inform service delivery.
The then Department of Corrective Services had included key recommendations from the KARG in its operational framework for the new prison. Design and operation emphasised the five KARG philosophical principles:
- custodial proximity to land and family
- cultural responsibilities
- spiritual relationship to land, sea, and waterways
- kinship and family responsibilities
- community responsibilities
In practice, the unique prison architecture allowed most prisoners to live in community-style share households, doing their own cooking, cleaning, and laundry. The goal was to develop prisoners’ independent living skills and self-determination to improve their chances of not returning to custody.