Prisoners in Western Australia face 'cruel' conditions, report finds

Ryan stated that the system is operating beyond capacity, with "embedded" overcrowding, workforce pressures, and restrictive regimes. The report attributes the sustained unsafe failure to an unprecedented 37% growth in prisoner numbers over three years and chronic workforce instability. Inmates and staff quoted in the report described issues such as cockroaches, broken toilets, lack of laundry, insufficient phone use, and compromised staff safety due to low staffing levels. These shortfalls have led to routine lockdowns, reduced time out of cells, cancelled family contact, and limited access to basic services, resulting in the denial of fundamental entitlements.

The report noted that Hakea, Casuarina, and Melaleuca accounted for 60% of self-harm incidents in the year to January 2026, with parallels drawn to the 2018 Greenough Regional Prison riot. Ryan called for formal government commitment and funding for system-level reforms and issued show-cause notices to the justice department and the minister for corrective services. Minister Paul Papalia attributed the increased prison population to the "stellar performance" of WA police in arresting individuals for family violence offenses, stating that corrective services do not control intake numbers.

The department acknowledged the issues and stated that system-wide reforms, including operational, workforce, and infrastructure measures, are being implemented to manage the growing population and capacity constraints. Corrective services commissioner Brad Royce indicated that these measures are supporting more stable operations and improving safety and resilience at the affected prisons.