Wandoo has been a success in its own right. But, more than that, it offers some positive lessons for the state’s other prisons and the Banksia Hill Detention Centre for juveniles. The decision to target specific services at young men was a good one, and Serco has met or exceeded reasonable expectations. In short, there is no performance reason why Wandoo should not continue to operate along current lines.
Wandoo provides a positive, purposeful, and safe regime, and has performed well across all key measures. It offers new ways of ‘doing business’ that are relevant to the management of both adult prisoners and juveniles at Banksia Hill Detention Centre.
The ‘standout’ areas are:
- a coherent, purposeful philosophy that is supported by staff and which permeates all areas of the centre’s operations
- a strong multi-disciplinary approach to managing and supporting the residents
- a model that is based on personal responsibility, positive reinforcement and genuine opportunities for rehabilitation
- sustained and targeted partnerships with the not-for-profit sector
- ‘real’ work opportunities for residents leading to post-release employment
- the contractor’s willingness to respond, innovate and improve.
The Department has set itself the goal of delivering ‘Integrated Individualised Offender Management’ for its prisoners. Wandoo is already doing this, and is a model of best practice. Although it is a small, minimum security reintegration facility, there are lessons to be learned for the system as a whole.