Work camps are a watershed in Western Australian corrections and a boon to regional communities across the State. They turn the tables on traditional imprisonment and are a prime example of the Government's commitment to finding cost-effective, practical forms of custody.
While at work camps, prisoners undertake a range of valuable work projects in local communities. Instead of these prisoners being a drain on public resources, they become a resource for communities. Each year they undertake approximately 75,000 hours of work in regional communities, repaying WA with about $1m worth of work.
Many of the projects undertaken by work camp prisoners would otherwise be neglected due to the isolation of many communities. Additionally, the structured work day helps prisoners develop work and social skills to help them re-integrate into the community.
The first prisoner work camp was established as a pilot program in Walpole in the South-West in January 1998. In 1999, the Department decided to expand the work camp program and extend the benefits across Western Australia.
The State's first prisoner work camp specifically for Aboriginal prisoners – on the traditional lands of the Millstream-Chichester National Park – was established in February 2000.
A mobile camp based at Kellerberrin was established in February 2000 and also serves the Wheatbelt towns of Tammin and Merredin. While located at the single site, prisoners from all camps can be called into neighbouring communities to help out in times of crisis - such as floods or storms.
In 2001 and 2002, two camps were established in the Kimberley – one near Derby and another at Wyndham.
The camps at Millstream, Derby and Wyndham are particularly critical in returning indigenous prisoners to their traditional lands and keeping them close to their families and communities.
In 2008, work camps celebrated ten years of service to the community. There are now seven prisoner work camps operating from Walpole to Wyndham.
Work undertaken by the prisoners falls into the following categories:
Environmental – tree planting, salinity control, coastal regeneration, eradicating non-indigenous vegetation, eliminating/controlling fire risks, etc.
Recreation/tourism – maintaining and developing infrastructure in national parks, nature reserves, other tourist parks and rest areas. Projects include trail construction, construction and erection of footbridges, information shelters, BBQs and picnic facilities.
Heritage – maintaining and restoring heritage sites and buildings of significant historical and heritage value and in need of preservation – such as pioneer cemeteries, homesteads and other important buildings.
Smaller local community projects – such as ‘tidy town’, street scaping projects, upgrading community facilities such as recreation halls, erecting playground equipment, roller blade/skateboard facilities for young people and projects for small local clubs - football, pony club, golf club etc.
Disaster relief – in an emergency situation, prisoners have played an important role in relief operations, providing a rapid response to natural disasters such as floods and bushfires.
Generally speaking, the work must provide benefits to the broad community and is work that would otherwise not get done – because of a lack of community resources or volunteers. The work is usually for not-for-profit community organisations. It is much easier for these organisations to access grants when they have labour available to complete the work.
The Department's prisoner work camp project has been an outstanding success, earning State and national accolades for its contribution to regional Western Australia and excellence in the communications it undertook with local communities.
Winner, Premier’s Awards 2008
Strengthening Regional Western Australia
Semi-finalist, Community of the Year Award 2003
Awarded to the Walpole community for their long-standing support of the work camp program.
Finalist, Premier's Award 2000
Services to Regional Communities
Golden Target Award - Community Communication 2000
State and National Public Relations Institute of Australia Awards for Community Communication
StateWest Credit Society Award 2000
For outstanding achievement by an individual or group of colleagues
Winner, Premier's Award 1999
Awarded jointly to the Department of Justice and the Department of Conservation and Land Management for Services to Regional Communities
Last Updated: 21-Oct-2009
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