Report finds 'unacceptable' level of incident records, questionable use of force at Canberra's only youth prison

ABC NEWS (Australia)

A high-level delegation has raised significant concern about two use of force cases at Bimberi Youth Justice Centre, and found an increase in detainees is reducing their access to essential services.

Transcript

00:00A youth prison regularly on edge.

00:05In one case, seven or eight senior large officers restraining a young person.

00:09In another case, ten officers going into the cell of a young person.

00:13We don't want that for our kids. This could be your kid, it could be my kid.

00:17I think it's really important to go back to basics and look at the model of care.

00:22The report by the multi-agency group contains significant criticisms

00:25about how Bimbury Youth Justice Centre is run and the safety of children inside.

00:31Many young people were stuck in their units.

00:33Instead of getting to education, instead of getting to programs and activities,

00:37keeping them in units where they're not able to really integrate with their peers

00:42does have a significant detrimental impact on young people's mental health.

00:46The parent of a young person previously held at Bimbury told the ABC

00:50they recognised the difficult environment the report describes.

00:54While my child was at Bimbury, there were numerous code blacks

00:57where detainees turn on each other or staff

01:00and the entire facility goes into lockdown.

01:02The result is a highly volatile young person

01:05who has been in survival mode inside an institution.

01:08Poor record keeping of what happens inside and its consequences

01:12is repeatedly highlighted as a problem.

01:15So too the lack of access to health and education services.

01:18We have this unique opportunity to actually further their learning,

01:22but also to think about what they need by way of rehabilitation

01:25to enable them to leave Bimbury and ideally not re-offend.

01:30A key recommendation is that staff use body-worn security cameras.

01:34Body-worn camera footage can demonstrate that someone has in fact

01:37used force appropriately as well as recording if it's not used appropriately.

01:41So we think it's in the interests of everyone involved

01:44that there's clear evidence of what actually took place.

01:47The ACT government says it will seriously consider all six recommendations

01:51made in the report, but that maintaining safety at Bimbury is a balancing act.

01:55Overwhelmingly, the officials at Bimbury do a fantastic job

01:59and they are dedicated to improving the lives of young people.

02:02The minister says he will watch with great interest the difference

02:05body-worn security cameras make in other jurisdictions.

02:08I think there are more pressing CCTV issues that have been made in previous reports

02:14that the government would seek to respond to as a priority.

02:16How the government responds will be crucial to what happens to kids doing time.

02:21We'll see you next time.

02:22We'll see you next time.

Category

Transcript

Be the first to comment

Recommended