PRISONS — DRUG AND ALCOHOL PROGRAMS

476. Hon ALISON XAMON to the minister representing the Minister for Corrective Services:

I refer to the provision of drug and alcohol programs in prisons.

(1)  Has there been any delay in the delivery of drug and alcohol programs as a result of the COVID-19 crisis?

(2)  Are drug and alcohol programs currently being offered in all prisons?

(3)  If no to (2), in which prisons are programs not running?

(4)  Are any online options being offered to facilitate the delivery of drug and alcohol or other offender programs to ensure that people are not being denied parole due to not completing these programs?

(5)  If no to (4), why not?

Hon STEPHEN DAWSON replied:

I thank Hon Alison Xamon for some notice of the question. The following answer has been provided to me by the Minister for Corrective Services.

(1)  The criminogenic alcohol and other drug group program, Pathways, run by staff from the Department of Justice—corrective services—and non-government organisations has had no delays in delivery.

There have been some delays with the AOD brief intervention group program run by the non-government organisation Reset for remand prisoners at Hakea Prison and Melaleuca Women’s Prison. This program was temporarily replaced on 27 March 2020 with one-to-one support due to COVID-19. The AOD brief intervention group program commenced at Melaleuca on 24 April 2020.

(2)  The criminogenic program Pathways is still being offered at all prisons. The AOD brief intervention group program that is offered only at remand prisons is currently being run at Melaleuca but not at Hakea.

(3)  The AOD brief intervention group program at Hakea is currently replaced with one-to-one support; however, the group program is in the process of being reinstated.

(4)  No. Pathways is always facilitated in a group work format, with facilitators and participants physically in the room. The AOD brief intervention group program was delivered for a short time as one-to-one, face-to-face, support.

(5)  Services were still able to be delivered face to face, which is the preferred delivery method.

Madam President, I should note that this question was asked on 13 May, so the information is current as of that date.

 

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