West Kimberley Regional Prison scheduled to open end of October 2012

A new prison in the Kimberley region of Western Australia (WA) is scheduled to receive its first inmates on 22 October this year.

The West Kimberley Regional Prison has been designed to meet the unique cultural needs of Indigenous people through its design, building and operation.

The facility can cater for 120 male and 30 female inmates, accommodated in self-contained units, and has been developed to echo the surrounding landscape, incorporating desert colours and plants.

Superintendent Mike Macfarlane, a Noongar man who will be supervising the inmates, said that it was unfortunate a jail had to be built specifically for Indigenous people, but knows it is needed.

Of the new facility, he says: 'The idea was to resemble a community in the Kimberley. If the fence wasn't there, you'd think it was a brand new town.

'You're in a negative environment but we're trying to make it as positive as we can. This is how far we've come.'

All aspects of the new prison are guided by five principles, which also support the Kimberley Custodial Plan. These are:

• custodial proximity to land and family
• cultural responsibilities
• spiritual relationship to land, sea and waterways
• kinship and family responsibilities
• community responsibilities.

Source: Department of Corrective Services WA and The West Australian

Contacts

West Kimberley Regional Prison Project Office
Department of Corrective Services
West Kimberley House
16-22 Loch Street
PO Box 350
Derby WA 6728
Ph: (08) 9193 1953
Ph: (08) 9191 2066
Fax: (08) 9264 1269

Links

• View information: Australian Indigenous HealthInfoNet: West Kimberley regional prison project
• View news item: Aboriginal jail destined to be out of work