Pardelup Prison Farm is a minimum security facility for males. Pardelup’s primary role is the provision of work, training, and re-entry support. The prison also provides produce for the prison system.
Up until 2002, Pardelup operated as a prison, holding a maximum of around 80 prisoners. In 2002, during a short term drop in prisoner numbers, the decision was taken to downgrade it to a small work camp. Its maximum capacity was only 20 prisoners and actual numbers were often lower. Following a rise in the numbers of minimum security prisoners, Pardelup was expanded from a work camp to a prison farm with capacity for 96 prisoners (including 12 at Walpole Work Camp) in March 2010.
Pardelup and Walpole had previously been found to be well-run facilities with high prisoner satisfaction. Each had positive community engagement with meaningful community work allowing skill development. However, both work camps were being under-utilised. Substandard facilities, accommodation and visitor access were identified as disincentives to prisoners applying for placements.
This inspection inquired into the Department’s management of Pardelup’s role as a minimum security re-entry facility in the context of demographic changes. Since March 2009, there has been a steady increase in the number of minimum security prisoners in Western Australian jails, with sustained numbers of foreign national prisoners. At the same time there had been a decrease in the proportion of Aboriginal prisoners in metropolitan and south west minimum security facilities.
The inspection themes included:
• Demographic changes and infrastructure needs
Was the Department of Corrective Services (‘the Department’) and prison adequately managing the size and diversity of Pardelup’s prisoner population?
• Treatment of Aboriginal prisoners
Were enough Aboriginal men progressing to Pardelup from other prisons? Were the specific needs of this prisoner population being supported?
• Treatment of foreign national (including Indonesian) prisoners
Were the specific needs of this prisoner population being supported?
• Management of the prison farm’s re-entry and reparative work
Was the Department planning and support for the prison farm’s key roles adequate? Had the prison farm struck the correct balance between re-entry and reparation?