Melaleuca Women's Prison

Melaleuca Women's Prison
Map
LocationCanning Vale, Western Australia
Coordinates32°06′19″S 115°55′16″E / 32.1054°S 115.921°E / -32.1054; 115.921[1]
StatusOperational
Security classMaximum
Capacity254
OpenedDecember 2016 (2016-12)
Managed bySodexo
Websitecorrectiveservices.wa.gov.au/Prisons/prison-locations/melaleuca.aspx

Melaleuca Women's Prison is a maximum security prison for women, in Canning Vale, Western Australia. It opened in December 2016, and has a capacity of 254 inmates.[1][2] Melaleuca is a standalone facility, built on what were previously Units 11 and 12 of Hakea Prison.[3][4]

The prison was operated by the private company Sodexo.[1][2][5] The state government paid Sodexo a bonus for reducing recidivism[2] – A$15,000 for each inmate who stays out of jail for two years. This incentive scheme was the first of its type in Australia.[6] In April 2020, the Department of Justice took over operations and continues to operate the prison, leaving Acacia Prison the only remaining private prison in Western Australia[7].

The prison is named after the Melaleuca plant,[8] and was formerly known as the Melaleuca Remand and Reintegration Facility.

References

  1. ^ a b c "Melaleuca Remand and Reintegration Facility". Government of Western Australia, Department of Corrective Services. 16 December 2016. Archived from the original on 21 December 2016. Retrieved 18 December 2016.
  2. ^ a b c Courtney Bembridge (18 December 2016). "New Perth women's prison opens with private operator offered cash incentives". Australian Broadcasting Corporation. Retrieved 18 December 2016.
  3. ^ Stephanie Dalzell (15 December 2014). "Women's remand facility to be built at Western Australia's male-only Hakea Prison". Australian Broadcasting Corporation. Retrieved 18 December 2016.
  4. ^ "Project Summary – The Melaleuca Remand and Reintegration Facility" (PDF). Department of Corrective Services. 16 August 2016. p. 6. Retrieved 18 December 2016.
  5. ^ "Sodexo awarded Melaleuca Remand and Reintegration Facility contract". Sodexo. 28 July 2016. Retrieved 18 December 2016.
  6. ^ Eliza Borrello (28 November 2016). "Private company running WA prison to get $15k for every female prisoner who does not return". Australian Broadcasting Corporation. Retrieved 18 December 2016.
  7. ^ Hastie, Hamish (23 December 2019). "Then there was one: WA left with just one private prison with Melaleuca to change hands". WAtoday. Retrieved 12 December 2024.
  8. ^ "Symbolic name for new women's prison". Government of Western Australia. 29 June 2016. Archived from the original on 20 December 2016. Retrieved 18 December 2016.