28-Year-Old Prisoner Dies After Being Found Unconscious in Cell at Hakea Prison

A 28-year-old prisoner was found unconscious in his cell at Hakea Prison in Western Australia on Thursday afternoon and later died. Staff provided first aid until paramedics arrived, but could not revive the man. The death has been deemed not suspicious, which is generally understood to relate to a self-harm incident.

This marks the third inmate death at the maximum-security facility in less than three months. In March, a 27-year-old died following a fire in his cell, and in February, a 51-year-old died in hospital after a medical episode in his cell.

Why this matters: The string of recent deaths at Hakea Prison has raised concerns about conditions and staffing levels at the facility. It highlights broader issues in Western Australia's prison system that require urgent attention and reform to ensure the safety and well-being of inmates.

The WA Prison Officers' Union has blamed the deaths on understaffing and increased lockdowns, which they say have led to inadequate supervision. "We've been warning for years that the staffing crisis in WA prisons would lead to tragedy," said union secretary Andy Smith. "These deaths were preventable if the government had listened to our concerns and taken action."

Youth detention expert Gerry Georgatos called for an overhaul of the prison system, including the introduction of Medicare in prisons. He noted the high death toll among both Indigenous and non-Indigenous prisoners in Western Australia, saying the state has the highest incarceration rate for Aboriginal people in the world.

The Department of Justice has not released further details about the latest death at Hakea Prison, citing privacy reasons. An investigation will be conducted and a report prepared for the coroner. The recent spate of inmate deaths has intensified scrutiny on Western Australia's prison system and the urgent need for reforms to address understaffing, inadequate supervision, and substandard conditions that may be contributing factors.

Key Takeaways

• 28-year-old prisoner found unconscious, died at Hakea Prison, WA
• 3rd inmate death at Hakea in <3 months, previous deaths in March and February
• Union blames deaths on understaffing and increased lockdowns, leading to inadequate supervision
• Calls for overhaul of prison system, including introducing Medicare in prisons
• WA has highest incarceration rate for Aboriginal people globally, urgent need for reforms