72: Report of an announced inspection of Eastern Goldfields Regional Prison.

Eastern Goldfields Regional Prison (EGRP) was opened on the southern outskirts of Kalgoorlie Boulder in 1980. It services the Goldfields from Wiluna in the north to Esperance on the south coast, and the 13 remote Aboriginal communities east to the state boarder – the Ngaanyatjarra and Spinifex communities. The majority of prisoners at EGRP are …

Despite its age, poor design, small size and distance from Perth, EGRP has made progress over the decade. It had been identified in 2001 as unfit for purpose and demonstrating structural racism, with facilities, conditions and services that would not have been tolerated in a non-Aboriginal prison. During this inspection, sound local management practices, and …

Eastern Goldfields Regional Prison (EGRP) has made substantial progress in the decade since the first inspection, which found a facility wholly unfit for purpose, prisoner sadness and anger, and staff frustration and apathy. Each of the four subsequent inspections has found incremental improvement. There has been steady progression, with substantive managerial appointments, and the provision of adequate …

Recommendation 1 Develop and implement a monitoring and evaluation plan and processes for region-specific and Aboriginal-centred throughcare. Recommendation 2 Implement measurable strategies to increase the number of Aboriginal prisoners from this region who are eligible for minimum security status and associated programs and treatments. Recommendation 3 Put better systems and resources  in place for release-planning …