 | |
| Location | Casuarina, Western Australia, 30 kilometres (19 mi) south of Perth |
|---|---|
| Coordinates | 32°14′23″S 115°52′41″E / 32.23972°S 115.87806°E |
| Status | Operational |
| Security class | Minimum to maximum (Male) |
| Capacity | 1200 |
| Opened | June 1991 |
| Managed by | Department of Justice, Western Australia |
Casuarina Prison is the main maximum-security prison for Western Australia, located in the Perth, Western Australia suburb of Casuarina. The prison accommodates minimum-, medium- and maximum-security prisoners. It was opened in 1991 to replace Fremantle Prison, which was 130 years old.[1] The prison was the scene of a riot on Christmas Day 1998.[1] The prison featured in the documentary Australia's Hardest Prison: Lockdown Oz on the National Geographic channel in 2008, following the lives of prisoners and officers.[1]
In 2013 the prison was the setting for the film Son of a Gun.[citation needed]
The prison has been subject of multiple legal actions due to alleged "inhumane conditions".[2] In 2022, seventeen teenagers were relocated to the maximum security prison prompting a class action.[3] The Department of Justice has defended its actions,[4] while victim advocates have raised concerns around the law firm representing the youth.[5]
The Australian Human Rights Commission has raised concerns about the issue of teenagers being held at the prison,[6] prompting calls for further action.[7]
- ^ a b c "National Geographic films Casuarina Prison". NewsComAu. News Limited. 2 July 2008. Retrieved 13 June 2016.
- ^ "'Cruel and inhumane': Prisoners locked up in special unit of WA jail say it amounts to illegal confinement". ABC News. 31 March 2021. Retrieved 14 November 2022.
- ^ "Seventeen Banksia Hill juvenile inmates moved to Casuarina Prison". ABC News. 20 July 2022. Retrieved 14 November 2022.
- ^ Ramsey, Michael (6 October 2022). "WA youth prison could face more lockdowns despite class action plans". WAtoday. Retrieved 14 November 2022.
- ^ "Open letter re Banksia Hill teenagers". Levitt Robinson Classless Actions. 9 August 2022. Archived from the original on 5 October 2022. Retrieved 14 November 2022.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link) - ^ "Government action needed to protect children in detention". humanrights.gov.au. 21 July 2022. Retrieved 14 November 2022.
- ^ "Disadvantaged Youth". Levitt Robinson Classless Actions. 27 July 2022. Archived from the original on 14 August 2022. Retrieved 14 November 2022.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)