Prisoner Support and Treatment

The Hon. J.A. DARLEY (14:53): Is the minister able to provide some details about the 200 people in prison with disabilities, as to the sorts of offences that they have committed?

The Hon. P. MALINAUSKAS (Minister for Police, Minister for Correctional Services, Minister for Emergency Services, Minister for Road Safety) (14:53): Again, as I referred to, the 200 statistic that the Hon. Ms Vincent referred to I am going to take on notice, and I am happy to do that again. I think you will find that, generally speaking, the nature of offences that are committed by people who are suffering from a mental health condition do vary. They will often be reflected by other offences that otherwise occur within the community.

But, again, I am happy to come back and answer with some specific breakdown. I do not have figures at hand in terms of the specific percentage of what offences are committed by people who have a mental disability who find themselves within the system. I am happy to get that information and bring it back to the honourable member.

The Hon. K.L. VINCENT: Just as a point of clarification: that 200 number, as I understand it, might not necessarily have a disability but they are in prison after completing their prison sentence, so they may or may not have a disability. That is just for the minister's information.