The Wire

A decision by the West Australian government to halve the budget on transport and security costs allowing inmates to attend funerals has been slammed by the Aboriginal Legal Service. Instead the state government intends to enable inmates to “virtually attend” funerals via streaming online and/or hold memorial services in jail. But the Aboriginal Legal Service says the plan disproportionately affects Aboriginal inmates, who make up 40 percent of the state’s prison population. And the Prison Officers Union says there is a huge concern the decision could lead to an increase in incidents of self-harm in a prison system straining at capacity.