A look at a key question at the heart of WA's youth justice problem – and the government's response to it
WARNING: This story contains the name and image of an Indigenous person who has died. A coroner rejects a bid by one of WA's highest ranking justice bosses to remove himself from an inquest into the state's first death in youth detention. After saying the inquest was the reason he couldn't comment on former Corrective Services boss Mike Reynolds's characterisation of him as "harebrained" and chaotic, Corrective Services Minister Paul Papalia addressed at length other issues discussed at the inquest, including the current treatment of young people in Unit 18. Coroner Philip Urquhart this week heard those at Banksia Hill can get up to 10 hours a day out of their cells, while at Unit 18 – which houses a group the minister describes as "far more complex, challenging and often violent" – can get eight at most. Dr Angela Cooney, who has helped run Banksia Hill since 2021 and is currently acting as the assistant corrective services commissioner for young people, told the inquest "significant change" was needed, and that not everyone in the system knew what the masses of academic research showed.
Abuse of imprisoned children seen in NT 'could not happen in WA', union claims
Discover Related
Wipe criminal records of young rioters, says children’s commissioner
One injured, 30 detained after BJP-Youth Congress workers clash in Nampally
Australia: Why children as young as 10 face life sentences in Queensland
Why children in schools take to physical violence
Police, Youth Congress protesters clash in Wayanad
First criminal trial starts in New Hampshire youth detention center abuse scandal
Action sought against cops for assault on Youth Congress leaders in Kerala
NT youth leaders share perspectives on reconciliation, after youth crime spotlight
A former youth detention center resident testifies about ‘hit squad’ attack
The youth curfew in Alice Spring has ended. What did we learn? Will it happen again?
Humane treatment of youth at Unit 18 not possible, inquest into Cleveland Dodd's death hears
A New Jersey youth detention center had 'culture of abuse,' new lawsuit says
A New Jersey youth detention center had ‘culture of abuse,’ new lawsuit says
Israel’s mass arrest campaign isolates fighting age men as part of Gaza campaign
Youth prisons ‘more violent than adult male jails’ as number of assaults soar
Queensland youth crime victims criticise new government committee
The Palaszczuk government has become engulfed in a political storm of its own making
Lawyers win access to files in New Hampshire youth detention center abuse case
‘Promoting children’s well-being paves the way for a brighter tomorrow’
The challenges of reporting on youth crime and detention in Queensland
Palestinian children abused in Israeli detention: NGO