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Respect the Risk is about Prison Officers supporting each other and working together for better working conditions.
If you work in a prison, or know someone who does – then tell us how the risks of over crowding, privatisation and a fair wage agreement affect you.
NOTE: Please do not implicate yourself by naming any specific prisons or people’s names when telling us your story. Stories may be edited for your own protection
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YOUR STORIES
“I have no problems with the prisoners, just with management, who are pressured by government to make budget.”
“I have a member of my family in his second year as a prison officer, a job he has taken too and loves. He intended to make a career of the prison service, however with a single income and a young family he has been refused a mortgage countless times due to his base salary being insufficient to qualify. He has little choice now and will have to return to his trade and go back on the tools to achieve the level of base salary required to qualify for a mortgage and out a permanent roof over his young family – At least he will be less likely to get seriously assaulted back on a building site. A sad indictment on the governments rigid pay policy. Prison Officers should be paid what the jobs worth – I wouldn’t do it for that money!”
“As a senior officer working on the floor, attempting to manage the long-term doubling-up of long-term prisoners in a workable fashion is a mentally exhausting exercise…EVERY DAY. Since the muster explosion we really are relying on whatever good graces the prisoners possess NOT to rebel against these conditions. Although politicians point at figures and state that there is no significant increase in the amount of physical assaults, I’m here to tell you that the onslaught of challenges to our mental abilities to avert these very things is relentless. It’s extraordinary reading the EBA updates and the to-and-fro about the incentive payments and realising that the Government is making us scrape and fight so hard for something they get given without even asking for, ie reasonable pay rises and incentives to do a reasonable job under reasonable working conditions.”
“It’s amazing that the Western Australia Government wants to privatise the prisons. It’s a criminal negligence when one does not learn from someone else’s mistakes. The privatisation processes in the United States and Britain have been a miserable failure. Profiteering on someone else’s misery? Prisoners and employees included- is a gross act of human misconduct. My experience with G4S, a private contractor for prisoner transport and supervision of the Courts in Western Australia, was a dismal career choice. Security and safety breaches are a daily norm. Mr. Ward dying at the back of a Prison Van is just a small instance of negligence highlighted due to the nature of the event. The choice lies with the Government? Quality of service or balancing the balance sheets. It’s not a commercial venture? We look after human beings (good or bad) the best we can. ”
“I have been a Prison Officer for fifteen months now and at present working in Crisis Care at a Maximum Security Prison in Perth. Crisis care is for prisoners who have tried to commit suicide or self harm or are feeling suicidal or thinking of self harming. The sad fact is the majority of these prisoners have mental heath problems, which we are not trained to deal with. There are only two officers who look after up to twelve volatile mentally unbalanced prisoners on a day shift and at times only one officer as the other officer will be escorting CCU prisoners to reception, medical or visits. A Senior Officer I spoke to the other day hit the nail on the head when he said the Crisis Care Unit was like the Specialist Handling Unit with out the officers. We have had prisoners so unstable that they are housed in CCU until a bed comes up in a mental hospital so they can be assessed and medicated properly. These prisoners can have mood swings and be very violent and demanding. There are not many people who understand or could do the job we do every day when we go to work and put ourselves at risk. This is one of the many jobs i do as a prison officer and why it is only right that we have a fair and decent pay rise.”
“Every Prison Officer puts their own life at risk on a daily basis for the safety of the Western Australian public. This risk alone warrants a need for this state government to reward all Officers a fair days pay for a fair days work. It’s not a job description for anyone. In fact without the men and women who put their own lives at risk everyday, you would have prisons throughout Western Australia that would be completely out of control. The public need to be aware at just how dangerous our line of work is and of the outstanding job that all Officers contribute to maintain the good order and management of all prisons on a state wide level. Please understand that a fair days pay for a fair days work is warranted.”
“NO to PRIVATISATION of Prisons, I have worked in both the private and government systems and would NOT support the government in allowing any privately run prisons in WA. On the outside they may appear to be normal, once you are on the inside and working there you see the risks and chances that are taken in prisoner management, staffing and OHS all in the name of shareholders profits. SAY NO TO PRIVATE PRISONS”
“Well Done WAPOU on this website, its about time the general public had some idea of what Risks we go through daily in our Careers, as you have mentioned we “face the people society doesn’t want to face” The increase in the prison populations are seeing short cuts and risks being placed on us every day, whilst we still have to manage societies most Violent and unpredictable people, I urge all prison officers to encourage family and friends and friends of friends to support us in our campaign for a fair go .”
“Respect the risk! Every day I go to work I am a serving officer with 20 plus years experience and have worked in three prisons including maximum security. I’m currently working in a prison with a muster of 235 prisoners soon to reach over 400 within 18 months. These prisoners have free movement through out the prison up to 2200 hours. After which they are confined to their rooms, not locked up. There is no way we are able to isolate a major incident when it happens, a little like pre riot days at Casuarina. The accommodation, which was originally designed for one person, now holds two. Two of the offices we work in are constructed from fibro and glass. This therefore does not offer any security for us. There is no secure area for officers to secure themselves in should the need arise. During the main meal times, lunch and dinner. Three officers, a ratio of one officer to sixty prisoners, and the cook instructor supervise the dish up. Administration seem to think that this is adequate staffing. A minimum-security prisoner is still prone to out burst of aggression the same as he is at maximum or medium securities. The difference for us is, that when an incident does happen we are likely to be alone and in an isolated area. The type of minimum prisoner we are now receiving has changed. Some prisoners not suitable for minimum because of their behaviour, attitude. Or the length of there remaining sentences are now resident. Do I feel safe in this environment? NO I have chosen this career and conduct myself in a professional manner. I serve the public in a field that the majority have no idea what is required of us every day we go to work. The stresses it puts upon our families and the toll it takes on our marriages. Do we deserve a better offer for a pay rise relevant to out daily duties? YES we do ”
“Not many prisoners are getting parole these days which obviously is adding to the stress felt by both prisoners and officers. How do we keep them occupied when there are only so many jobs to go around? Only so many people excepted into programs? Education? Prisoners are agitated, cramped up in cells, taking their frustrations out on both other inmates AND officers. I can’t tell you the amount of times prisoners have personally told me… “” There’s gunna be a riot soon….”" Does the public and government know how stressful being told something like this is? Do they know what its like to wake up each working day and think..”" is this going to be the day?”" As mentioned, the risk we run at privatisation of prisons is that emphasis will be placed on PROFIT, not rehabilitation etc. SOMETHING needs to be done, and it needs to be done NOW! For now… how about we get what we bloody well deserve for putting up with our conditions in the meantime!”
“12 years on the job, seen things you shouldn’t have to see and born the stress like a trooper. Well its different now, a hundred times harder than it was a few years ago. Walk down a wing of 30 prisoners designed to have 15 and ask yourself, what if? This is the question that we live with every day. Put it away in our private cupboard where we hide it from our co-workers and family. Stressful; hell yes, don’t underestimate the effect on every person working here. We deserve more and better, without doubt. We are the keepers of those who society fear to have on the street, is it that difficult to understand.”
“I have been a prison officer, for many years. In the beginning the job was challenging, coping with violence almost on a daily bases. I could cope with all that knowing that the wage I was earning was enough to afford me a better life creating leisure to release the stresses. Years on and the Prisons expanding in size and volume of prisoners. The wages have not kept up with the effort outlaid. My one wage supported two in relative comfort. Now my wage or lack of it has contributed towards my relationship ending partly because I could not afford the medications my partner was on. Years ago that were all covered in our award. We have lost much through the so-called bargaining agreements. All we want is a fair pay and conditions.”
“I have been a Prison Officer for nearly 14 years. During this time I have seen musters rise and fall, however, this current muster is the largest I have experienced. I was recently assaulted by a prisoner and lay the blame fairly and squarely on overcrowding creating increased tensions amongst prisoners. They then take this aggression out on staff. The Govt can afford themselves large pay increases, however fight us tooth and nail for a meager increase, despite knowing the dangers and stress we all face on a daily basis. Privatisation has never and will never work. It is just another excuse for the Govt to offload their obligations.”
“Hello I am forced to work a second job to make ends meet. I would do overtime but the stresses of confrontation with Prisoners out weighs the money you receive. There is not enough employment for prisoners where i work, thus prisoners just roam around board and get into trouble. This is what they do on the outside and we teach them nothing different. Its about time we did some thing different because what we are doing isn’t working. You can get all the programs you what going, but we need real prison employment real VSOs and real DOs working together. This will break the cycle.”
How long can you keep the lid on a pressure cooker before something explodes. Prison Officers put their lives on the line every day and play a vital role in keeping society’s head above water, so as not to drown in a sea of anarchy. Prison Officers need to be heard. Prisons need not be ignored by a government who is seemingly in denial. I am a Prison Officer. I have a family. My sons have a right also for their father to come home safe and be able to provide them with merited financial security in uncertain times. You don’t have to be a prophet to see that if change does not occure soon the reprecusions of a disfuntional, obese prison system will be felt for years to come and likewise the coffers from other departments will be laid bare and blead dry to clean up the mess…..
I have been employed as a prison officer for approx 15 months now and have enjoyed the job in that time. However it was a eye opening experience to see what the security levels are like in a prison that is supposed to be classified as this states maximum security prison. With prison overcrowding and the risk of privatisation I would hate to see the security risks for officers, the public and offenders increase. It is the prison officers who each day put themselves at risk with all types of offenders (violent, mentally ill, suicidal) that make the difference every day of the year. Keep officers pay fair and stop any thought of privatisation. We should not have to ask, it should be done.
I pay more for life insurance and some officers are turned down because they are prison officers. everyone knows its super high risk its time we were respected for our job!
Everyone wants to know what its like to be a prison officer and they are truly shocked when I tell them what I put up with on a shift. I have been spat at and knocked around. Often prisoners wont listen to reason and become very tense when there are 11 in one cell that is only 8. Most people say they would be too frightened to do this job but I love it what I dont love is politicians not listening to me and not caring what we put up with. Everyone wants serious crime criminals incarcerated but nobody then thinks further than that. What about the staff? Ask my 13 year old if hes scared for his mum and dad. He will soon tell you!
“I have five years in th job now – spent entirely in a metro, Maximum Security Prison. I am not university educated, nor do I have qualifications in mental health care. What I find increasingly disturbing is the number of psychologically disturbed prisoners that we are expected to manage on a day to day basis. It is a sad indication of the state of Mental Health in the Western Australian Health system that so many of these people end up behind bars rather than in care.
We are assisted by various groups within the prison in dealing with the issues that these prisoners present, but it is inadequate in my view. The “”trade off”" effect of letting one thing slide so we can concentrate on another is going to land us in some serious trouble. If I am committing most of my day to dealing with a needy, vulnerable, psychologically impaired prisoner, then I am not watching the other fifty-odd prisoners in my wing. It has to be one or the other – we cannot do both to the required standard.”
I joined this job to work with prisoners, to be a prison officer and at the time I had no idea what that really meant.12 years later I am still working with prisoners. I actually enjoy the job and the daily challenges that I face, what I don’t enjoy is the crap from budget cuts, the scrutiny from “do good” agencies, the investigations. The prisoners are mostly predictable, I expect bad behaviour and deal with it appropriately, but the lack of support, respect, consideration or concern that we receive from the government or our own “head office” is what I never expected and have sadly, now come to accept. I have been spat at, punched in the back of the head, covered in food thrown at me, abused 1000 times and gone home injured a number of times from “restraining” prisoners. I don’t have a problem with that, it’s my job….but none of that hurts as much as the slap in the face the Department and the Government gives us with their treatment of us, its greatest resource everyday!
I have served in numerous jobs and careers two being the military and police now I work in Prisons and have noticed a steady decline and concern for the welfare and safety of prison officers by the government and the department. Both my previous careers had areas of high danger and we were paid accordingly but in the prisons I have found similar dangers and risk but it is not recognised or rewarded for dealing with violent prisoners on a daily basis. I have in the last two days been involved with two offenders who were diffused by staff but one of these offenders then assaulted another officer the next day. This prisoner was placed in an area he should have been but I’m not here to complain about prisoner management issues it is just an example. Fair and equitable pay is the issue for the job we do, the increased workload and risks we face on a daily basis.
we need more pay for what we do everyday!!!!
“I have served almost four years now as a prison officer and in that time have experienced various levels of threat from prisoners, such as verbal abuse threats kill myself and family to prisoners shaping up to me and other officers, culminating into actual assault against me when without any warning a mentally ill prisoner smacked me in the face purely to aid in a transfer to somewhere else and you know what he got his wish. Prisoners in our system now have over 20 lines of complaint when something doesn’t go there way, how do these organizations crop up and why does the department listen to them. such regular and absolutely frivolous and false accusations against officers just can’t go on, but its a sad fact that they will continue with the department and politicians paying lip service to them all. Why can”t we as officers have the same rights as prisoners and the same level of support outside of our work colleagues.
I have been an officer for over 11 years and on the whole it has been a good experience. I love the challenge of being able to help and hopefully get inmates on the road to a new start. I have always felt safe in the prison that I work at. However they recently had to call in the Tactical Response Team to deal with inmates running around with pool cues a major incident by any standards. How would you like to go to work in that sort of environment? Officers face this type of risk daily. Give us a fair go. Give us a fair pay. Please give us your support. From Hard Working Prison Officer.
I can’t see why the government can’t give us a fair and just EBA. At the end of the day, we’re saving them and the general public, a substantial amount of money by managing double bunking and the like, where as alternatively they would have to build A LOT of new prisons. Some of the conditions I work under: 1) Prisoners abusing us and not being able to do anything about it because of a lack of staff to deal with it. 2) Increasing workload on a daily basis (unmanageable). 3) Minimum staffing levels are not enough to be able to deal with ANY volatile situation that arises. 4) Living in a place that is geared up for people earning a minimum of $150k P/A as opposed to my wage (people actually laugh when I tell them the money I’m on). 5) Mice running through staff food and kitchen areas. I could go on but it’s fairly well covered in the rest of these stories. The constant actions by the government with regard to privatisation are making people uneasy. Allot of people join this job (among other reasons) for the ‘job security’. If they take away that then I believe the staffing situation will only worsen. I’m pretty sue that to profit off crime is illegal so how can the government systematically encourage this by allowing FOR PROFIT companies to run prisons and manage prisons.
“One day in March at a Maximum security prison there was a Water main burst.
0715 water turned off, 1015 an announcement made that water would be turned on for 10 Mins every hour until burst is fixed, 1030 water back on lasted 2mins water was as Black as the Ace of spades, 1032 Water turned off.
From 0715 No Drinking water, No Toilet water, Nothing.
Rumours were that the Prisoners would be supplied with 1.5 ltrs of Bottled water, nothing said about officers.1330 Emergency meeting held, 1345 SO’s return, been told water back on at 1600.
1600 comes and goes no water, it finally came on at 1735, that’s 10hrs 20mins with no drinking water, No sanitary, the Units were stinking, Industries, Education, Recreation were all cancelled, which meant every prisoner was in the Units, I could go on and on, just try it some day can’t have a shower, wash hands, flush toilet the list goes on and on, there was even no water in the fire hoses, The only thing that stopped a riot that day was the Professionalism of the officers on duty . Oh and just to rub some salt in the wound we found out that the Public servants working in Admin were supplied bottled water but our Security refused to allow any water into the Units.
The Moral of this long story is on that day in March we were treated with complete and utter contempt by the Department as we are with Annual leave, Public holidays, Rosters, Health, and most of all the crap PAY. United We Stand, Divided We Fall.
Some of the states prisons were originally built for about half of prison population that they are currently holding. As has already been mentioned in other comments that the overcrowding has put huge pressure on staff and has also affected morale. It is starting to wear thin.”
I live in Geraldton and hear that the local state liberal member Ian Blayney wants to privatise prisons.
I work in the prison system where the mental health problems are high (ie out of 32 prisoners we had 27 mental health prisoners. Prison officers are not trained to deal with mental health prisoners, but still have to try and deal with these issues, abuse, prisoners yelling at nothing. chucking chairs at officers, smashing windows threatening staff family, having to hold down prisoner to give them their (essential)medication
“When I joined the Prisons Department, there was RESPECT, for all, and we worked in a Prison. Everyone was keen and eager to complete duties and look after the welfare of inmates and officers, there was a definite LINE between the two. Prison Officers and inmates are side by side every day, overcrowding affects both Officers and Inmates. With overcrowding comes competition, aggression between inmates and against staff, overall higher rates of illness, (both officers and inmates)higher suicide rates, bullying and victimization of vulnerable people. Overcrowding affects the community as the opportunities for prisoners to do self-improvement and rehabilitative programs, such as employment, crime related programs IE Sex Offender, Substance abuse courses are reduced. This, in turn, increases the likelihood of recidivism so in fact prison is not rehabilitating anyone when overcrowding happens apart from being a danger to both inmates and officers.
Prison overcrowding exacerbates the already difficult working conditions of prison staff and makes it near impossible to fulfil a rehabilitating mission, which is one of the main aims of most prison services and community expectations. Prison staff work within unacceptable levels of stress and many may be in fear for their own life.
They are often undervalued compared to other public sector employees largely due to the fact the community do not want to know about prisons or what happens in the correctional environs, but sure have a say when an offender reoffends. Respect the risk these remarkable men and women put themselves under every time they set foot in the jails, they are doing this to keep us safe. I know because I used to be an officer and unfortunately after many many years I had to leave as the job became a job with No backup from the community and I believed my family deserved more. I have known two workmates commit suicide at the sheer stresses of this job and watch my dear friends who battle through a job they clearly love with no support, respect or interest from the community. Believe it or not, prison Officers are mothers and fathers, brothers and sisters and sons and daughters who have lives once they clock off shift each day.
I will never forget the bravery and sheer respect a Superintendent had for his troops and indeed they for him, ( old timers will know who) when he turned up to Casuarina Prison Christmas day in his shorts and xmas attire to lead his team to quell the Casuarina riots, we don’t want or need a repeat of that, which affected so many people in so many ways.
Please will the governing bodies and the public understand the work these people do in protecting the inmates and providing safety to them and us. Its not just a job, its a way they choose to live they are Prison Officers and deserve respect.
More money for prison officers! Less money for pencil pushers!!”
