LL:PR:THE ONLY THING WE FAIL TO LEARN FROM HISTORY...

[Deaths In Custody Watch Commitee (WA) Inc.]

media release
DEATHS IN CUSTODY WATCH COMMITTEE (WA) Inc.
        
119 MATHIESON RD        ASCOT WA 6104
Tel:    61 (0)8 9277-1533       Fax:    61 (0)8 9478-4204
E-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED]       
URL:    http://www.omen.net.au/~dicwc

Sunday, 27 December 1998

THE ONLY THING WE FAIL TO LEARN FROM HISTORY�   

"So last night Bandyup women's prison exploded, again, and 
only one day after Casuarina.  Why am I not surprised" asked 
Ms Kath Mallott, the Executive Officer of the Deaths In Custody 
Watch Committee of Western Australia.  "It is clear that the only 
thing the Attorney General of Western Australia fails to learn 
from history, is that he has failed to learn from history" said Ms 
Mallott.  

She quoted from the Royal Commission Into Aboriginal Deaths 
In Custody about the Fremantle Prison riot:

   "Mr John McGivern, � in a report to the Minister for Corrective 
   Services on the causes of the riot, stated that conditions in the 
   prison were 'undoubtedly sub-standard and could best be        
   described as early Victorian.  Prisoners are required to 
   spend approximately 14 hours per day [in a cell] � In 
   1984 the prison had accommodation for 289 
   prisoners. However, on the night of 27 August 1984 there
   were 341 inmates."

"We have heard the cries of anguish from the inmates all year.  
Is Mr Foss' and his not so super Ministry; ignorant, arrogant, 
thick or just incompetent?" she asked.  "The message has been 
moving along on the bush telegraph ever since this government 
adopted its 'lockem-up' and throw away the key populist policy, 
and obviously Mr Foss and his senior bureaucrats have failed in 
their duty of care to both the inmates and their prison staff.  
They have again failed to read their own department" Ms Mallott 
said.

"This Ministry has been condemned not only by this Committee, 
but also by Amnesty International."  

"You should also know that the ABC Television programme 
'Four Corners' in investigating and reporting on two early deaths 
in custody this year, has won a United Nations human rights 
award.  When will this lot learn that they are meandering through 
the dark ages and not managing a professional rehabilitative 
process?  Clearly they are an embarrassment to a civilised 
society."

"Again we call for an adequately funded, independent, and 
public judicial inquiry into Mr Foss and his Ministry of custodial 
incompetence" the Executive Officer concluded.

Media Contact:  
Kath Mallott, Executive Officer - 041993-0375 (Mobile)
================================================
To monitor and work to ensure the effective implementation of 
the recommendations of the Royal Commission Into Aboriginal 
Deaths In Custody
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