Heat at prison 'inhumane'

The WA prison watchdog has released a report into conditions at Roebourne prison, repeating claims made in an earlier report that heat conditions at the facility were "intolerable and inhumane".

The Officer of the Inspector of Custodial Services labelled the prison the "hottest in Australia" in a report tabled in Parliament this month, which detailed findings and recommendations from their last inspection of the prison in September 2013.

The report outlined further serious issues related to overcrowding, physical infrastructure and the management of female prisoners.

The 44.1 per cent recidivism rate of Roebourne prisoners was also highlighted as a concern, as it sits well above the State average of 35.6 per cent.

OICS deputy inspector Andrew Harvey said a lot of hope was being invested in the prison's new rehabilitation work camp due to open later this year, but the Department of Corrective Services needed to do more to address prisoner's substance abuse issues to combat recidivism.

"We found that education programs were not being delivered to anywhere near the same extent they were in 2010," he said.

"We told the department: 'We've identified the problem of the high recidivism rate and it is expensive to you, so what can you do?' In our view, if they want to reduce recidivism, they have to address the underlying cause.

"They are hanging a lot on this work camp - in our view, there is no reason not to, it is going to offer clear benefits for both the prisoners and the community, assuming that it works."

In January, the highest recorded temperature in Roebourne was 45.9C, with an average temperature of 38.7C for the month.

The OICS found the majority of cell accommodation did not have air-conditioning, with "metal cyclone shutters blamed for radiating heat directly into the cells during the day".

They repeated their 2010 recommendation for the installation of adequate climate-control measures at the prison.

Mr Harvey said overcrowding also contributed significantly to the problem.

"At Roebourne, where you have two people in a single cell or six people in a four-person cell, that, compounded with less air flow, has made things really difficult," he said.

"They do have fans, but they are not big fans, and they are only moving a little bit of air around."

The OICS also said the true design capacity of the prison was for 149 prisoners, with 170 prisoners counted at the time of the inspection.

A Department of Corrective Services spokeswoman said while it was committed to reviewing climate-control strategies across the prison estate, including air-conditioning, it was not a priority because of funding limitations.

"Furthermore, retrofitting air-conditioning on an old facility has its challenges, as well as the consideration that if the cell windows are kept open, the air-conditioning has no effect on the climate control of the cell," she said.

"Roebourne Regional Prison has installed air-conditioning into the maximum and women's wings as well as the dining room and library areas.

"There have been no reports of serious heat-related health issues or illnesses at Roebourne."

In regards to recidivism, she said the new work camp would allow approved minimumsecurity prisoners to improve their rehabilitation prospects.

"This will focus on providing prisoners with practical, project-based pre-vocational and pre-employment training, job-readiness skills and link prisoners into paid employment in the community," she said.

"The Education and Training Centre also continues to provide an adult basic education program adapted to suit Aboriginal prisoner needs and there is a resource agreement with Pilbara Institute of TAFE."

The spokeswoman said the successful DECCA program, which trains Roebourne prisoners for employment, had been postponed until it transferred to the new work camp.

In response to overcrowding issues, she said the prison required physical upgrades and ongoing maintenance - but the department was focusing on critical maintenance.

"A funding request for the upgrades at (the prison) following the recent cyclone damage has been included in the department's Strategic Assets Plan," she said.

Inspections usually take place every three years, but OICS said it would inspect Roebourne Prison again before mid-2015.