Conditions at Broome Regional Prison are "degrading and inhumane" and "would not be acceptable in Perth", the Inspector of Custodial Services has said in a damning report.

Inspector Neil Morgan found the prison is "old, decrepit and crowded" and "not fit for purpose as a modern prison."

He said the living conditions in the men's maximum-security unit "were the worst in the state".

"Prisoners were confined to the hot, dark, dirty, crowded, cramped unit for 24 hours a day," Mr Morgan said.

"They had no personal space, very little mental or visual stimulation and minimal access to physical activity.

"The conditions in the maximum-security unit were inhumane and degrading."

Sleeping in front of toilet doors

The report said there was often more than 35 men in the unit that is only built for 28, forcing many to sleep on mattresses on the floor.

Up to six prisoners were often housed in cells originally designed for two.

"When the cells are this crowded, one prisoner must sleep in front of the toilet door that opens outwards," the report found.

"It means that if a prisoner needs to use the toilet during the evening, they must wake up and move the prisoner sleeping on the floor.

"The entire situation is chaotic, inhumane and degrading, and contributes directly to the decline in the mental and physical health of prisoners housed in the unit."

When the inspection was carried out, the unit only had access to two showers.

"In most cases, the prisoners told us that they are simply not showering," the report found.

It also said they were confined to the maximum-security cells far longer than they should have been.

The undercover recreation area of the maximum security unit of the Broome Regional Prison. ( Supplied: Inspector of Custodial Services )



"We were told that prisoners were only supposed to be held there for very short periods of time," the report said.

"This was not the case. At the time of the inspection, five men had been there for over 90 days and another three for over 60 days.

"It was hardly surprising that staff and prisoners both felt that prisoners' physical and mental condition was suffering."

Mr Morgan also found that the female inmates were "isolated" and "marginalised" at the facility.

"They were confined to their unit, with no access to active recreation; they had limited work opportunities and their visits area was unsuitable," he said.

According to the report, the accommodation blocks were built in 1945, making it the oldest prison in the state.

It said the prison's population was made up mostly of "Aboriginal remand and sentenced men and women from Kimberley region, across all security levels - minimum, medium, and maximum-security."

Prison closure reversed

The prison was scheduled to be closed in 2015, but remained open after an about-face by the previous Barnett government. Today's report was completed after an inspection of the facility in March this year.

The State Government has committed $2.7 million funding commitment to upgrade the facility but Mr Morgan has warned more needs to be done.

"This is only a stop-gap measure," the report said.

"The Department still has no long-term plan for the custodial needs of the Kimberley region, despite multiple previous commitments."

The report recommended that there was more capital investment for infrastructure and human resources upgrades, plus an improvement on prisoner regimes and a plan for custodial facilities in the Kimberley.

The acting Commissioner of Corrective Services, Tony Hassall, conceded that there had been concerns for a few years about the conditions of Broome Regional Prison.

"The upgrade will address many of the prison's challenges, by investing in capital works and resources to further support the care, rehabilitation and reintegration of offenders," he said.

Broome prison, courthouse need to be replaced: Minister

Fran Logan says the prison and courthouse need to be replaced, but concedes the Government does not have the money. ( News Video )

WA Corrective Services Minister Fran Logan admits the findings were disturbing.

"It was disturbing when I first visited the prison and it was disturbing to the inspector who had undertaken that inspection," Mr Logan said.

"No money was put into maintenance, no money was put into infrastructure upgrades [by the previous Barnett government] when it was needed and consequently the prison feel into disrepair."

Mr Logan conceded the Government's funding boost was just a "stop-gap" solution.

"In the long-term, Broome Prison and Broome Courthouse need to be replaced, that is fact," he said.

"We simply just don't have the money to do that ... consequently we are making do at the moment."