Juvenile Detention
2 Royal Commissions:
Detention of Children in the Northern Territory (2016)
Aboriginal Deaths in Custody* (1987)
* Has a chapter devoted to juvenile deaths.
VIEW REPORT (1987) Commission Website (2016)
'No, let the fucker come through because when he comes through, he will be off balance. I'll pulverise, I'll pulverise the little fucker' Corrections officer, Don Dale, 2016
1 The Numbers
On an average day in Aus (2014/15):
children in detention
840children in community supervision
4,760Total (as of date)
5,6002 In 2014/15, children had been detained for 181 days on average
3 'On the whole, juveniles are more frequently apprehended by police in relation to offences against PROPERTY than offences against the PERSON.'
The Locations
in Qld, kids can be tried as an adult at 17 instead of the globally recognised age of 18 4
In Aus., kids are deemed to have criminal responsibility from age 10, rather than the internationally acceptable age of 12 5
6 Breakdown by State
Boys were held in an isolation wing for 6-17 DAYS. Max. time legally allowed is 72 HOURS. (Don Dale Detention Centre, NT, 2014) 8
at least
53
young people were jailed for breaking bail conditions that no longer existed (NSW, 2013)
Detention rate for Indigenous juveniles is
28x
greater than non-Indigenous juveniles
54%
of those in detention were unsentenced.
Indigenous youth were
3x
more likely than non-Indigenous youth to be sent to court rather than cautioned
80%
of those in detention are male.
27%
had been placed in care at some point (NSW, 2009)
Children In Immigration Detention
2 National Inquiries:
The Forgotten Children (2014)
A last resort? (2004)
VIEW REPORT (2004) VIEW REPORT (2014)
'We will decide who comes into this country and on what terms.' John Howard, 2001
The Numbers
children on Nauru: (now deemed 'open detention')
50children in Community on 'Bridging Visa E' (can stay while making arrangements to leave, or are waiting for an immigration decision. Full Conditions)
4,067children in Community under a 'Residence Determination' (formerly known as 'community detention')
317Total (as of date) View latest data here
4,434In March 2014, children had been detained for 231 days on average
The Locations
Aus. is the only country in the world to indefinitely detain children
15 The Effects
Kids who require psychiatric support:
in detention (38%):
in the general community (6%):
'Most people have a level of resilience which allows them to function fairly well for a few months, but after that time there is a steady deterioration... after six months the cumulative harms accelerate very rapidly.' 16
17 From the Nauru Files Read more here >>
59
reports of assault on children
1/2
of the incidents involved children.
30
reports of self-harm involving children