Access to prisoner information
Certain prisoner information can be accessed as outlined below. However, access to specific prisoner records, is only available through the Freedom of Information process.
Location of a prisoner
If you want to know the location of a prisoner, contact the:
Manager Information Release between 8.00 am to 4.00 pm
Telephone: +61 8 9264 6229 or +61 8 9264 1587
or submit a Request for Information
Access to prisoner information
The Department of Corrective Services understands it can be a difficult time for families and friends when a loved one is in prison.
If you, your family or a friend wants to know more about a prisoner, you can write to the Minister for Corrective Services or the Commissioner, Corrective Services. Before you do though, it’s important to get prisoner consent.
Obtaining prisoner consent
To make it lawful for the Department to pass on prisoner information, the prisoner must provide the Department with a witnessed letter saying that he/she gives their consent to release information and who they are happy for that information to go to. A prison officer can sign such a letter as witness and will be able to help the prisoner with the right wording.
The letter is needed so that the Department can comply with its Policy Directive 6 Access to Information and the national privacy principles of the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth). Under both of these, the Department cannot release any information regarding the specific details or management of any prisoner to a third party, even family and friends, without that prisoner’s written consent.
Release of Prisoner information
The Minister and/or the Commissioner will only release prisoner information after a letter of consent has been received. On receipt of the consent letter they will be in a better position to provide you with an understanding of your loved one's condition and management.
If you wish to write to the Commissioner or the Minister, the correct address is:
Commissioner:
Commissioner
Department of Corrective Services
141 St Georges Terrace
PERTH WA 6000
Minister:
Hon Joe Francis MLA
Minister for Emergency Services; Corrective Services; Veterans
10th Floor
London House
216 St Georges Terrace
PERTH WA 6000
Telephone: +61 8 6552 6500
Facsimile: +61 8 6552 6501
Access to health information on ex-prisoners for health providers
Community health care providers can access medical information about patients who are ex-prisoners through a dedicated telephone line provided by the Department of Corrective Services.
The Department provides all prisoners with a written summary of their medical records when they are released from custody. To enable ongoing clinical care to be given by the relevant community health care provider, where patients have mislaid this information, a 1800 telephone number has been set up.
The 1800 077 735 number is available to all health care providers 24 hours a day, 7 days a week with direct contact during normal business hours. Outside these hours details of the enquiry (including name of enquirer and telephone number) can be left on an answering machine and will be responded to within one working day.
Last updated: 2-May-2013