The new Work and Development Permit (WDP) Scheme, delivered by Legal Aid WA, the Aboriginal Legal Service, and WA Department of Justice, encourages people experiencing “hardship” (broadly defined but may include disability) to engage in approved activities, such as life skill and employment programs. The incentive is that they can clear their court fines at a rate of $70 per hour of engagement in these activities, which are supervised by an approved sponsor. Principally it’s a law reform measure to prevent people being imprisoned for not paying their fines – but it’s also hoped that engagement with services will help address the underlying causes for offending behaviour, to divert people away from the criminal justice system.
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