Background
This was the fourth announced inspection of Bunbury Regional Prison (BRP) and the first inspection of the Pre-release Unit (PRU), the State’s newest minimum security facility for males. The PRU is co-located with Bunbury Regional Prison and is managed by the same Superintendent as BRP. BRP has traditionally been a stable prison environment. The Inspector, …
Read more
Conclusion
The Inspector identified five main aspects to the transition of Bunbury Regional Prison from the first inspection almost 10 years previously at which point there was the very real possibility that the prison would close completely, to the overcrowded situation in 2011. Prisoner numbers – at the time of the inspection around 70 per cent …
Read more
Key Findings
Overall this fourth inspection of Bunbury Regional Prison found that the prison continued its tradition of performing well although acknowledging that there had been slippage in some areas. Whereas previous inspections had noted good staff/prisoner interactions, this inspection noticed a decline in this aspect of prison operations caused primarily by the overcrowding. The new Pre-release …
Read more
Recommendations
The Department ensures that Bunbury Regional Prison has a permanent management team holding substantive positions. That the Department establishes the causes underlying the high number of workers’ compensation claims at Bunbury Regional Prison and addresses these. Upgrade the sally port, gatehouse and reception area at Bunbury Regional Prison to allow for more efficient and secure …
Read more