Enter Casuarina maximum security – the toughest jail in Western Australia and the scene of one of the bloodiest prison riots in Australia's history. With capacity at an all-time high, the cell blocks are overflowing; Casuarina is designed for 400 inmates, it currently houses over 600 serial killers, sex offenders and terrorists. This ‘supermax’ doesn’t just house worst criminals in WA, they're among the worst in the country.
Bonus feature: Prison Girls
Around the world, women are being locked up in record numbers-and most women in
prison are mothers. Mothers are often the primary or sole caregivers to their
children, and their leaving can destroy a family. Children without a parent are
often sent to live with relatives, though plenty find no love there. For those
without family to fall back on, children become wards of the state or are placed
in foster care where neglect and abuse are always a danger. Add to displacement
the fact that children with parents in prison run a higher risk of poor school
performance and a host of psychological problems, from shame and anger to
depression and abandonment issues. We'll set out to find out what life is like
for the daughters of women behind bars and how “the system” helps-or
hinders-them. In the process, we'll explore daring new programs that are
attempting to break the cycle of imprisonment from mother to daughter.