Directed Review into the Department of Justice’s performance in responding to recommendations arising from coronial inquiries into deaths in custody

Under Section 17(2)(b) of the Inspector of Custodial Services Act 2003 (WA) the Minister for Corrective Services can direct the Inspector of Custodial Services ‘to review a custodial service in relation to a prison or detention centre or a custodial service (CSCS Act) or an aspect of that service’. On 24 September 2021, the Inspector accepted …

Governance is improving, but there is room for further progress Since 2017, the Department has implemented a range of governance process improvements relating to the management of recommendations, internal audit activities and oversight practices. Despite these changes, we still identified recommendations that had been closed with limited evidence of completion. We also identified opportunities to …

Despite governance processes being in place, we found the Department frequently closed recommendations without full implementation. Actions taken to improve processes and practices did not always meet the intention of the Coroner’s recommendations, or at times only addressed them in part. We recognise that the Department takes seriously its responsibility to prevent deaths in custody. …

Recommendation 1 Ensure a ‘High/Significant’ or ‘Extreme’ risk rating is attached to coroners’ recommendations so that PAR audits 100 per cent of coroners’ recommendations in the annual audit process. Recommendation 2 Track and disseminate ‘suggestions’ made by the Coroner. Recommendation 3 Ensure PHS is adequately resourced for all prisons across Western Australia. Recommendation 4 Change …