00:00Former Corrective Services Commissioner Mike Reynolds has criticised the Government, claiming
00:06it wasn't interested in dealing with youth justice issues and there weren't enough resources.
00:13But the Premier says there's been improvement since he got the top job last year.
00:18I wanted to see change in our juvenile detention system to make sure we keep the community
00:22safe, we keep our staff safe and we keep the detainees in the facility safe.
00:27I'm very proud that today we have less than half the number of young people in that facility.
00:34He says a more therapeutic model of care has been brought in.
00:37It's a view echoed by the Inspector of Custodial Services who's been closely monitoring Banksia
00:42Hill Youth Detention Centre and the controversial Unit 18 inside Casuarina Prison.
00:48Good progress in the implementation of the model of care, seeing much better staffing
00:52numbers and recruitment and retention has had a big impact on that.
00:57We're seeing much improved out of cell hours for the young people in both Banksia Hill
01:02and also Unit 18.
01:04Mr Ryan says the death of Cleveland Dodd after self-harming in Unit 18 was the impetus for
01:09the increase in services and supports for young people in detention.
01:13Something else Mr Reynolds called for is a more welfare based approach to youth justice.
01:18The Aboriginal Legal Service agrees.
01:21Young kids who are not safe at home are going to find themselves on the streets.
01:25It's flat out because they find comfort in those numbers and that's where their friendship
01:30group is and that's where they feel safe.
01:32This government recognised there was a crisis in the family and domestic violence system
01:36and they called for a task force with representatives across state government and expertise from
01:42the community sector.
01:44They need to be doing the same for the youth justice system.
01:46We are in crisis at the moment.
01:49There has been two deaths in less than 10 months.
01:52Ms Gelito says the government needs to have a strategy for dealing with young people in
01:57crisis.
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