From: http://news.com.au/common/story_page/0,4057,1504348%5E1702,00.html >From AAP 10dec00 12:40 (AEDT) AN Aboriginal was found dead in his cell at the East Perth lockup yesterday morning. The man, who died about 5.40am (WST) was the 14th prisoner to die in custody in Western Australia this year. Police Inspector Bill Todd said the man, who was sharing a cell with other prisoners at the time of his death, appeared to have suffered a fit. "Officers administered first aid while they waited for ambulance crews to arrive but unfortunately the man died about 10 minutes later," he said. A full coronial inquiry will investigate the cause and circumstances of the death. Nine deaths in custody were reported in 1999 and 14 in 1998. ================================================================= OK, now, please have the time to read these extracts from the RCIADIC: Recommendation 156. That upon initial reception at a prison all Aboriginal prisoners should be subject to a thorough medical assessment with a view to determining whether the prisoner is at risk of injury, illness or self- harm. Such assessment on initial reception should be provided, wherever possible, by a medical practitioner. Where this is not possible, it should be performed within 24 hours by a medical practitioner or trained nurse. Where such assessment is performed by a trained nurse rather than a medical practitioner then examination by a medical practitioner should be provided within 72 hours of reception or at such earlier time as is requested by the trained nurse who performed such earlier assessment, or by the prisoner. Where upon assessment by a medical practitioner, trained nurse or such other person as performs an assessment within 72 hours of prisoners' reception it is believed that psychiatric assessment is required then the Prison Medical Service should ensure that the prisoner is examined by a psychiatrist at the earliest possible opportunity. In this case, the matters referred to in Recommendation 151 should be taken into account. (3:281) ------------------------------------------------------------ Extract 24.3.13 Western Australia is the only State, of which I am aware, that has considered the permanent placement of medically trained personnel at police lockups to assist in the assessment of prisoners and detainees at the time of reception. The Police Department in that State has advised that as part of its current renovation program at the East Perth Police Lockup (its largest metropolitan police lockup) it proposes to appoint a qualified nurse on a part-time basis (during afternoon and evening shifts) to assist in the assessment of new admissions to the lockup.9 Plainly, the assessment of prisoners and the identification of those at risk will be greatly enhanced by such an appointment. ------------------------------------------------------------ Recommendation 135: In no case should a person be transported by police to a watch-house when that person is either unconscious or not easily roused. Such persons must be immediately taken to a hospital or medical practitioner or, if neither is available, to a nurse or other person qualified to assess their health. ------------------------------------------------------------ Example Case Extract Albert Dougal (W/11) Albert Dougal was born in Broome on 26 February 1956, to Jack and Josephine Dougal. Jack came from Lombardina and Josephine from Beagle Bay. They had eight children, although one died in 1954. The Native Welfare Department had considerable involvement and control over the lives of Albert Dougal's parents. Until 1966 Albert Dougal lived with his parents at Broome, Beagle Bay and Lombardina. Albert Dougal and his three young sisters were committed to the care of the Child Welfare Department in January 1966. The reason for the committal was that according to the Department the father was not adequately supporting the family. The children resided at Beagle Bay Mission. Albert Dougal left the mission in 1972. Albert Dougal had a very minor record of criminal convictions. He was fined for stealing a sausage in 1978 and for disorderly conducted (urinating in public) in 1980. On 8 December 1980 Albert Dougal was involved in a fight outside the Roebuck Bay Hotel in Broome. He was punched and fell to the ground Although he was unable to get up, no one went to his assistance. He was later noticed by the police lying on the roadway and was arrested for drunkenness. He was unconscious and the police were unable to rouse him. He was then taken to the Broome Lockup and before being placed in the cells, he was hosed down because he had excreta on his clothes and person. He was then carried into the lockup, placed on the concrete floor and left in his wet clothes. He was left in the lockup overnight and never regained consciousness. The next morning the OIC of the police station noticed that he appeared to be having a fit. A nurse attended and Albert Dougal was removed to the Broome District Hospital. He was later transferred to Derby Regional Hospital where he died on 9 December 1980 from brain damage caused by the head injury suffered when he hit his head on the ground in the fight. Albert Dougal was 24 years old when he died. ------------------------------------------------------------ Recommendation 12 In no case should a person be transported by police to a lockup or watch- house when that person is either unconscious or not easily roused. Such persons must, if found on a patrol, be immediately taken to a hospital or medical practitioner or, if neither facility is available, to a nurse or other person qualified to assess their health. (6.4, 9.6) This recommendation has not been implemented fully. Routine Orders 16-3.11.1, 16-3.11.2, 16-3.11.3 reflect the possibility that 'insensible drunken persons' will be placed in the cells without medical attention. Police regard Routine Orders as guidelines only, e.g. Ginger Samson was carried into the cells by police on 29 March 1988. He was unable to walk and mumbled in response to questioning. Samson subsequently suffered an epileptic seizure and died in the cells. ------------------------------------------------------------ REGIONAL REPORT OF INQUIRY INTO INDIVIDUAL DEATHS IN CUSTODY IN WESTERN AUSTRALIA VOLUME 2 BY COMMISSIONER THE HONOURABLE D.J. O'DEA 5.2.5 SUPERVISION AND CELL CHECKS ...... The Webster Committee recommended the establishment of a Statewide on-call medical/nursing service which would initially be seen as an immediate service in support of police officers responsible for the care of detainees. I have extracted the following recommendations from their report relating to the establishment of the Forensic Medical Support Service: Recommendation I That an on-call Forensic Medical Support Service be established on a Statewide basis. Recommendation 2 That medical practitioners involved in the above service be issued with guidelines on clinical forensic medicine as prepared by the Chief Forensic Pathologist, State Health Laboratory Service, QEII Medical Centre. Recommendation 10 To establish an in-service training programme for permanent staff of lockups (and where practicable, other staff) with an objective of heightening their awareness and assessment skills with respect to prisoner care. Recommendation 11 That a reference booklet be published which supports the various components of care services in custody. Recommendation 12 That instructions be issued to all officers concerning the need to assess all prisoners upon admission and that ANY doubt regarding such person's medical/health status or ability to withstand long or short term incarceration be referred to the Forensic Medical Support Service or other general medical support. Recommendation 13 The police personnel be acquainted with the philosophy of this service to enhance ready acceptance. ------------------------------------------------------------ Recommendation 137. That: a. Police instructions and training should require that regular, careful and thorough checks of all detainees in police custody be made; b. During the first two hours of detention, a detainee should be checked at intervals of not greater than fifteen minutes and that thereafter checks should be conducted at intervals of no greater than one hour; c. Notwithstanding the provision of electronic surveillance equipment, the monitoring of such persons in the periods described above should at all times be made in person. Where a detainee is awake, the check should involve conversation with that person. Where the person is sleeping the officer checking should ensure that the person is breathing comfortably and is in a safe posture and otherwise appears not to be at risk. Where there is any reason for the inspecting officer to be concerned about the physical or mental condition of a detainee, that person should be woken and checked; and d. Where any detainee has been identified as, or is suspected to be, a prisoner at risk then the prisoner or detainee should be subject to checking which is closer and more frequent than the standard. (3:246) ------------------------------------------------------------ Recommendation 138. That police instructions should require the adequate recording, in relevant journals, of observations and information regarding complaints, requests or behaviour relating to mental or physical health, medical attention offered and/or provided to detainees and any other matters relating to the well being of detainees. Instructions should also require the recording of all cell checks conducted. (3:247) ------------------------------------------------------------ Recommendation 139. The Commission notes recent moves by Police Services to install TV monitoring devices in police cells. The Commission recommends that: a. The emphasis in any consideration of proper systems for surveillance of those in custody should be on human interaction rather than on high technology. The psychological impact of the use of such equipment on a detainee must be boree in mind, as should its impact on that person's privacy. It is preferable that police cells be designed to maximise direct visual surveillance. Where such equipment has been installed it should be used only as a monitoring aid and not as a substitute for human interaction between the detainee and his/her custodians; and b. Police instructions specifically direct that, even where electronic monitoring cameras are installed in police cells, personal cell checks be maintained. (3:247) ========================================================== Even given that the bulk of cell deaths now occur not in Police custody, that cannot absolve them of their responsibilities. What can I say, I understand that the Forensic Medical Service is still not extant and none of the recommendations are implemented, not the least of which would be for the permanent Police Lock-up at East Perth to have on its staff a registered Nurse.. ============================================================ "Poor fellow my country..." ------------------------------------------------------ RecOzNet2 has a page @ http://www.green.net.au/recoznet2 and is archived at http://www.mail-archive.com/ To unsubscribe from this list, mail [EMAIL PROTECTED], and in the body of the message, include the words: unsubscribe announce or click here mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]?Body=unsubscribe%20announce This posting is provided to the individual members of this group without permission from the copyright owner for purposes of criticism, comment, scholarship and research under the "fair use" provisions of the Federal copyright laws and it may not be distributed further without permission of the copyright owner, except for "fair use." 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