Double bunking debunked

by Heather McNeill

April 7, 2008

OVERCROWDING in Perth’s prisons is about to worsen, with the government squeezing an extra bed into hundreds of cells in WA’s three major gaols, Acacia, Hakea and Casuarina.

Tenders were let in February to build an extra 240 beds in existing cells by the end of the year. Once complete, the average 2.6 sqm cell will hold two prisoners each, as well as containing a shower and toilet.

The tender was let amid concerns the government was not coping with prison overcrowding. With WA’s jail population already 500 convicts over capacity, Prison Reform of WA spokesperson Dorothy Goulding says the underlying causes of overcrowded prisons are the police and the courts.

“WA has the highest population of prisoners compared to other Australian states,” Murdoch university academic Dr Goulding said. “The courts are using prison as a first resort rather than a last resort.

“Double-bunking [ie two bunks per cell] could be seen as a quick-fix, but at the same time, there is no other alternative with WA having such a high incarceration rate.”

With prisoners spending an average 14 hours a day inside their cell, Dr Goulding believes double bunking is “a recipe for disaster”, with growing concerns overcrowding could result in increases of rioting and sexual assault.

An investigation into whether double bunking increases sexual assault has was launched this month by Dr Goulding and her associate Brian Steels.

Opposition spokesman Rob Johnson said earlier this year, in an article on Perthnow, the government has not built one prison cell in eight years.