Reports from the ABC that until recently child sex offenders were allegedly working at adult reception prisons where youth were detained are deeply disturbing. The Liberals must make an immediate commitment to stop holding children in adult correction facilities.
We already know that hundreds of children are exposed every year to terrible conditions in adult watch houses within adult reception prisons. They’re often deprived of basic necessities and confined in close quarters with up to two dozen other detainees – who are screaming, abusing, crying and coming off drugs.
There’s no doubt that this would be a very distressing and traumatising experience for a young person. The Greens have raised this issue a number of times in Parliament, including by asking questions of the Premier, but there has been no meaningful response.
Further revelations that until recently there were allegedly child sex offenders working at watch houses where youth are frequently detained are extremely shocking. It’s yet more evidence that adult correction facilities are no place for children.
It’s completely unacceptable that children continue to be unsafe in government-run correction facilities. The Liberals must commit to getting children out of adult correction facilities immediately. They need to work with community service organisations to make this happen as soon as possible.
This is just another example of a Liberal Government failing to keep young people in the prison system safe. The Commission of Inquiry made a number of recommendations to improve the safety of children in correction facilities almost two years ago.
But the Liberal Government hasn’t acted with the urgency needed. Many of the recommendations have not yet been implemented, including the closure of Ashley Youth Detention Centre. It’s beyond time the Rockliff Government acted to ensure the safety of Tasmanian children
