Perth centre's good report despite escapes

An independent review into a disability justice centre in Perth has given the six-month-old facility a largely glowing report, despite the escape of two inmates.

The Bennett Brook Disability Justice Centre is the state's first specialised facility for detaining mentally impaired accused and while it can hold up to 10 people, it has so far only had three residents, two of whom fled on New Year's Eve after scaling a perimeter fence.

They were returned within days without incident but local residents were outraged, saying the centre should be closed until a security audit was completed.

In an independent review by retired Supreme Court Justice Peter Blaxell and Edith Cowan University Professor Colleen Hayward, released on Thursday, it was concluded the Disability Services Commission, which runs the centre, was doing all it reasonably could to meet its risk assessment and management obligations.

Largely favourable conclusions were also reached regarding two instances where residents absconded while on a leave of absence, walking or running away from their supervising officers and refusing orders to come back.

One of the residents was away for more than a day before returning voluntarily to the centre, while the other was returned by police after being on the run overnight.

There was no reason to suspect either of them committed an offence during that time, Mr Blaxell and Prof Hayward said.

The supervising staff were not entitled to physically restrain the residents from walking or running away, they said, and the sanctions imposed for each breach were timely and appropriate.

However, while record keeping was excellent, there were no documents listing any breaches of conditions by residents and the consequences that ensued.

Labor MP Dave Kelly said the report did not address the critical issues of the centre's location - 400m from a school and 34m from homes - and procedures when there is an escape.

"The report ... does nothing to address concerns raised by the community," Mr Kelly said.

The centre is described as a "declared place" and is an option for people who do not belong in prison, but need to learn behaviour that aligns with community standards, the DSC says.