Improvements in youth detention centres

Important progress has been made over the last few months to improve conditions in Queensland’s two youth detention centres.

Minister for Youth Justice Di Farmer praised the work of Youth Justice staff and their commitment to keeping Queenslanders safe.

An unexpected spike in the number of young people in detention earlier this year put pressure on both the Brisbane centre and Townsville’s Cleveland centre.

“We have been up front with Queenslanders about the challenges facing our youth justice system, and I am pleased to be able to report the progress being made," Ms Farmer said.

The latest Queensland quarterly Youth Detention Inspectorate report, based on inspections in March and April and released today, acknowledged that pressure on detention centres.

The inspectors found the detention centres were coping with the population pressure but made recommendations about managing those pressures and creating additional capacity.

Recent improvements to the centres since the report was finalised include: 

• New accommodation block completed at Brisbane YDC
• $13 million of work commenced on 12 new beds and improved security fencing at Cleveland YDC
• $10.6 million allocated in the State Budget for staffing and planning, including 84 new frontline and support staff

“Make no mistake about this – we want fewer young people in detention because the evidence shows spending time in detention does not help to break the cycle of youth offending,” Ms Farmer said.

“Earlier this month we released Bob Atkinson’s report in to the Youth Justice system, and announced our process of strengthening our Youth Justice strategy by the end of the year.

“Our strategy will be based on evidence of what works. We cannot keep doing what has been done for decades and expect the result to be different.

“We need to change the story for these young people and that is what our strategy will be designed to do.”

For the full quarterly report visit https://publications.qld.gov.au/dataset/youth-detention-centres-quarterly-reports

ENDS

Media Contact:                      Ron Goodman            0427 781 920