Going home
Transitional Managers (TMs) are located at each of the State's prisons to coordinate services that will help prisoners re-enter the community.
The services include:
Re-entry link program
The Re-entry Link Program is a voluntary program to help prisoners improve their life skills, prepare for release, find somewhere to live and link up with job network providers, family and community support services. Prisoners are eligible for support 3 months before they are released and for 6 months after they get out. This service operates in every prison across the State.
Transport Options Program (TOP)
TOP provides transport to prisoners from remote locations who have difficulty returning to their homes when they are released from prison or a work camp.
TOP operates in the Pilbara, East Kimberley, West Kimberley, Murchison, Gascoyne and Goldfields regions. A TOP policy is in place to make sure prisoners are fit to travel and all vehicle and safety requirements are met.
Supported accommodation services
Support is available for people who have just got out of prison and other ex-offenders who are at risk of committing crime if they don't have somewhere stable to live.
This includes:
- short-term and emergency accommodation - for newly released offenders for up to 3 months
- transitional accommodation and support services - accessible via the relevant prison's transitional manager to prisoners for up to 9 months post-release, including mothers and babies
- long-term accommodation for single people for up to 18 months.
After they are released, prisoners can get help with:
- organising Centrelink payments
- keeping a place to live
- linking back in with family and friends
- finding a job
- finding somewhere permanent to live
- life skills.
Services currently operate in the Perth metropolitan area and in Albany, Bunbury, Geraldton and Kalgoorlie.
For more information, telephone the relevant prison for the Transitional Manager.
Other support services
Parenting and Support Services (PASS)
PASS provides support, education and advice to parents at Bandyup Women's Prison and in the community after prisoners are released. For more information, contact the individual prison's general number for the Transitional Manager under Prison locations.
Family Support Service Centres (FSSC)
FSSC provides information, support and referral services to prisoners' families, friends and other visitors to the prison. FSSC also offer crèche services and lockers for personal belongings for people visiting someone in prison. For more information, contact the individual prison's general number for the Transitional Manager under Prison locations.
Chaplains
Chaplain services are provided for the spiritual welfare of prisoners. The Department funds five religions that service all prisons and detention centres. See counselling for more information.
Specialist Re-entry and Support Services
(for Life and Indeterminate sentenced prisoners and Sex Offenders throughout the metropolitan area and some regional centres)
This service provides support and accommodation services to life and indeterminate sentenced prisoners and sex offenders before and after they are released. The service encourages offenders to live a law-abiding lifestyle and successfully re-enter the community by providing:
- pre-release support and visits
- somewhere to live in both the short and medium term
- support to find somewhere permanent to live
- help to set up community networks and re-connect with family
- help with referrals to other welfare agencies.
While the Department provides some funding for this program, the majority of services are provided by volunteers.
Last updated: 27-May-2013