Western Australia's Office of the Inspector of Custodial Services has tabled its latest inspection report on Casuarina Prison, identifying ongoing and increasing pressures at the state's largest correctional facility.

Key points:

• The latest Inspector of Custodial Services report found Casuarina Prison is overcrowded.
  
• Overcrowding, ageing infrastructure, and workforce shortages are reducing access to key services, including health and mental health care, recreation, family contact, and rehabilitation programs.
• The inspection also found delays and limited access to education and employment were also constraining rehabilitation outcomes.

The inspection, conducted in October 2025, found issues identified in previous inspections had "persisted and intensified, with population growth, infrastructure limitations, and staffing shortfalls placing sustained pressure on daily operations", the Office said on Tuesday.

Since 2022, the prison population has increased by around 600 people. Casuarina, in which Indigenous people are significantly over-represented, is regularly operating above capacity, with measures such as triple bunking and floor mattresses in use.

Approximately two-thirds of prisoners are held on remand, many for extended periods, despite the prison being intended for sentenced people.

Overcrowding, ageing infrastructure, and workforce shortages were also reducing access to key services, including health and mental health care, recreation, family contact, and rehabilitation programs.

The inspection also found delays and limited access to education and employment were also constraining rehabilitation outcomes.

WA Inspector of Custodial Services, Eamon Ryan, said the pace of population growth has "significantly outstripped capacity, placing ongoing strain on prisons across the system".

"At Casuarina, the impacts of sustained population growth are placing significant strain on infrastructure and daily operations," he said.

"The prison is stretched to capacity and struggling to cope.

"Ongoing staffing shortages are limiting the ability of prisons to safely and effectively manage increasing prisoner numbers."

The Office found that, "notwithstanding these pressures", at the time of the inspection, the prison was found to be "stable and generally well-managed, supported by strong leadership and staff".

The report made 23 recommendations to improve conditions, service delivery, and outcomes, reflecting broader system-wide pressures across Western Australia's custodial estate.

While recent investment and expansion are welcomed, the Inspector noted the report "highlights the need for services and infrastructure to keep pace with population growth".

Kurin Minang human rights expert and law academic Associate Professor Hannah McGlade noted the report identified a considerable prison population increase since 2022, with "600 more people held under poor conditions, described recently by them as cruel and inhumane".

"Yes, the population in WA is also increasing but a large proportion are prisoners on remand, unconvicted and potentially not guilty of any offences. The need for bail hostels is clear, as is the need for justice reinvestment and diversionary programs to ensure that imprisonment is truly a measure of last resort," Dr McGlade told National Indigenous Times.

"The state should review the Australian Law Reform Commission Inquiry into Aboriginal incarceration of 2018 and work with Aboriginal people to enact appropriate reforms to address incarceration."

After the October 2025 inspection of Casuarina Prison, the Office of the Inspector's ongoing monitoring found that conditions had worsened. There was increased use of lockdowns, driven by ongoing staff shortages and a growing prison population. Similar deterioration was also observed at Hakea Prison and Melaleuca Women's Prison.

In response, the Inspector of Custodial Services issued a Show Cause Notice under section 33A of the Inspector of Custodial Services Act 2003, as outlined in the report tabled in Parliament last week. The Office said it will continue to monitor all three facilities to assess progress in restoring a safe and stable daily routine for both prisoners and staff.

The WA Department of Justice said in response to the report published Tuesday that the findings "acknowledged the critical role Casuarina Prison plays as a safety net for the entire WA prison system".

"On top of managing a large general population, Casuarina delivers a range of specialist functions and houses prisoners from across the State with complex behavioural, health, protection and security needs," the Department said.

"The Department has already implemented and is advancing a range of operational, recruitment and infrastructure initiatives to help address issues OICS identified at the prison."

The Department noted the WA State Budget provided $32.6 million over five years for more positions in nursing and mental health.

"Issues identified by OICS are being addressed through an escalated and demonstrably active plan that includes immediate operational controls, demand‑reduction initiatives, strengthened cross‑agency governance and a structured custodial infrastructure program," Department Director General Kylie Maj said.

"We are focused on delivering sustainable enhancements at Casuarina and across other prisons to support staff and prisoner wellbeing, rehabilitation and community safety."