1467. Hon Alison Xamon to the minister representing the Minister for Corrective Services:
I refer to internal departmental reviews of deaths in custody, and I ask:
(a) how many people died while in custody in Western Australia in:
(i) 2015;
(ii) 2016;
(iii) 2017; and
(iv) 2018;
(b) how many of these deaths were subject to internal review by the Department of Corrective Services, or the now Department of Justice;
(c) how many of these reviews have been completed;
(d) how many of these reviews remain outstanding; and
(e) for deaths in custody since 2015, what is the average length of time it has taken the department to:
(i) begin an internal review; and
(ii) complete an internal review?
Hon Stephen Dawson replied:
The Department of Justice advises:
(a) The number of people who died while in custody in Western Australia in:
(i) 9
(ii) 12
(iii) 13
(iv) 6 (as at 16/08/2018)
(b) All deaths that occur in the care of the Department, or that have been determined as a reportable death by the Coroner, are subject to internal review.
(c) Completed reviews 30
(d) Outstanding reviews 10
(e) (i) All reportable deaths are triaged for internal review immediately following notification.
(ii) Average time between a reportable death and completion of an internal review is 198 days.