“Every Voice Matters” on National Corrections Day

  • National Corrections Day recognises the vital contribution of Corrective Services staff
  • More than 4,800 employees work to safeguard the community and reduce reoffending
  • Pictorial tribute this year highlights the diversity of Corrective Services work, its people and places
  • This year’s National Corrections Day is celebrating the diversity of corrective services staff who come from a range of work backgrounds and nationalities with the theme Every Voice Matters.

    The day, which rounds off a week of celebrations across WA’s jails, work camps, prison farms and community corrections offices, is now in its fourth year.

    In a tribute to staff and in recognition of the wide range of duties they perform, the Department of Justice has also commissioned a special project this year that has captured 24 hours in corrective services.

    A resulting online pictorial tribute has documented the diverse and complex roles that more than 4,800 corrective services staff perform and can be viewed here at

    https://www.justice.wa.gov.au/ncd/ncd-2021.pdf

    Some of the images will also be displayed at Yagan Square, and Perth landmarks such as the Bell Tower will be lit up this evening in blue and green to acknowledge National Corrections Day.

    Since 2018, nearly 580 prison officers started entry level training programs as part of an open-ended recruitment campaign.

    In April 2020, applications were opened for another 125 vocational support officers with 709 applicants placed in a pool to fill new positions as they become available with 52 appointed so far.

    There have also been another 50 community corrections officers hired for community corrections offices throughout the State.

    A snapshot of “24 hours in corrective services” on Tuesday, December 15, 2020

    Adult males in custody5,965
    Adult females in custody680
    Adults received into custody30
    Adults discharged from custody13
    Youth in detention112
    Adults being managed in the community5,862
    Youth being managed in the community1,047
      
    Education classes run in adult prisons90
    Cows milked187
    Meals produced19,836
    Eggs laid3,600
    Programs run in community2

    As stated by Corrective Services Minister Francis Logan:

    “This is my last National Corrections Day ahead of my retirement as the Member for Cockburn.

    “It has been a great pleasure to get to know so many people who work in corrective services and to learn firsthand the vital role they play in helping to keep our communities safe.

    “These are roles that go on behind the scenes, but deserve recognition from the wider community.

    “This week I joined the celebrations at Hakea Prison and met officers who had given 30 years of service, which is just extraordinary and testament to their commitment to trying to turn offenders’ lives around.

    “I wish our State’s corrective services staff all the very best and I trust that the significant reforms and infrastructure upgrades the McGowan Government has implemented will hold them in good stead for many years to come.”

    /Public Release. View in full here.