OICS Report: Regional Youth Custodial Transport
20 Oct 2011
The Department of Corrective Services welcomes a report by the Inspector of Custodial Services praising its success in managing the regional transportation of young people in custody.
The Office of the Inspector of Custodial Services (OICS) report found the transportation of young people in custody from regional and remote areas had considerably improved since the Department took over its operation. The responsibility was transferred from WA Police (WAPOL) to the Department in November 2010 for a 12 month trial.
Inspector Neil Morgan said his report “should give Parliament and the public some confidence that this is an improvement on previous arrangements.”
The Inspector also praised the Department’s roll-out of regional youth justice services throughout the State which help address offending behaviour and provide options for conditional bail thereby reducing the need for young people’s remand in the first instance.
The OICS report found 74 per cent of regional transports and 70 per cent of country transports of young people were completed within target timeframes which was described as a “creditable achievement, especially in the first few month of the trial.”
The report also praised the rapport youth custodial officers have with the youth they escort, referencing one young person’s comment that they “treat you as a human being, talk in a civil manner and treat you with decency.”
Community and Youth Justice Deputy Commissioner Heather Harker said the report showed that the Department is committed to providing safe, reliable and timely transportation of young people in custody.
“The Department acquired a new fleet of vehicles, recruited additional staff and provided specific training to ensure young people in custody from remote and regional areas were transferred to and from Perth in the safest, most effective manner. We are delighted the Inspector has acknowledged our success,” she said.
“The considerable work with addressing offending behaviour in regional areas will contribute to a long-term reduction in the need for transportation in the first place. In the interim we will maintain our strong collaborative relationship with police and continue to strengthen our ability to keep transportation time to a minimum. I have every confidence our staff can do that, especially considering the positive difference we’ve already made.”
For more information contact A/Media Co-ordinator Kim Smee on (08) 9264 1099, 0419 944 048 or email kim.smee@correctiveservices.wa.gov.au
source: http://www.correctiveservices.wa.gov.au/_apps/news/detail.aspx?uid=2473-1215-7272-2380&ID=893
