The Office of the Inspector of Custodial Services has today released the report for the 2024 inspection of Hakea Prison. This is the eighth announced inspection of Hakea – the state’s primary remand facility for adult males.
The conditions observed during the May 2024 inspection were of such concern that the Inspector formed a view that prisoners at Hakea were being treated in a manner that was cruel, inhuman, or degrading. This included:
- Excessive lockdowns in the months preceding and during the inspection. Records indicated that prisoners were regularly receiving less than two hours out of cell on any given day, and on some occasions they received no time out of cell in a 24-hour period.
- Time out of cell was often confined to the wing or unit. Access to outside areas and fresh air was rare.
- Access to any form of meaningful activity such as employment, education, programs, and recreation was extremely rare. Employment was generally limited to essential services such as the kitchen and laundry.
- An inability for prisoners to maintain contact with their family through telephone calls or arranged social visits due to increased lockdowns and staffing shortages.
- Insufficient supply of clean clothing and bedding, with men claiming they were required to wear the same clothing for several days.
- Meals being eaten in cell, due to excessive lockdowns, leading to pest infestations and unhygienic living conditions.
A Show Cause Notice was subsequently issued to the Department of Justice under Section 33A of the Inspector of Custodial Services Act 2003.
Since this time, the Office has continued to monitor the conditions at Hakea through regular visits, data monitoring, and through the work of the Independent Visitors. An unannounced night visit occurred in February 2025 and an announced day visit was undertaken in March 2025 to further examine whether there had been any improvements in conditions.
This monitoring has found that, with a few exceptions, there have not been significant improvement in the conditions at Hakea Prison. Accordingly, a follow-up inspection report will be prepared for publication, using the observations and findings from the Office’s ongoing monitoring. This report is expected to be tabled in Parliament in the third quarter of 2025.
