Developing a stronger youth justice system thatensures young people face the consequences of their actions and get on a betterpath is a priority of Budget 2019.
It will include investments to replace the DonDale Youth Detention Centre and refurbish the existing Alice Springs YouthDetention Centre.
The Territory Government has made the decisionnot to proceed with a new site and a new build for the Alice Springs YouthJustice Centre in the short to medium term.
A number of sites in Alice Springs wereinvestigated as potential locations for a new youth justice centre. Following athorough assessment process, the sites were found unsuitable. The preferredsite options raised issues which include proximity to residential areas and didnot meet community expectations andneeds.
The existing infrastructure at the Alice SpringsYouth Detention Centre will be redeveloped to better meet the needs of at-riskyoung people, detention centre staff, and visitors. Construction work willbegin later this year.
A 10 Year Strategic Youth Justice InfrastructureMasterplan is currently being developed for the Northern Territory, which willensure a long-term and sustainable approach to the delivery of youth justiceservices.
Investments for the youth detention centreinfrastructure include:
$10 million fornew amenities and infrastructure at the Alice Springs Youth DetentionCentre. Refurbishments include an expanded footprint to supportrehabilitation programs. This will include new facilities for one-on-one andgroup meetings, more space for education, training, and outdoor education. Replacing theAlice Springs Youth Detention Centre was not a recommendation of the RoyalCommission.
- $60 million for the first new, purpose-built Youth Justice Centre in Darwin as the priority, in line with the recommendations made by the Royal Commission into the Protection and Detention of Children in the NT.
Additional key investments to improve youthdetention centres include:
$2.25 million for upgrades of CCTV cameras at both Don Daleand Alice Springs Youth Detention Centres.
The CCTV upgradesinclude an increase in surveillance cameras and data storage capacity, which istransferrable to future Youth Justice Centres.
$1 million for upgrades to electrical, fire and mechanicalservices at the Alice Springs Youth Detention Centre
$993k to improve and maintain the facilities at the Don Dale YouthDetention Centre
$902k to upgrade the female accommodation at the Don Dale YouthDetention Centre
These upgrades willimprove the functionality of the female spaces, allow for increased privacy andsafety for young females.
As noted by Minister for Territory Families,Dale Wakefield
TheTerritory Labor Government is overhauling what was a broken youth justicesystem to create generational change. If we dont invest now to reformthe youth justice system and put young people back on the right track, the costto Territorians will be far greater in the long-term.
Following community and stakeholderconsultations, we have made the decision not to proceed in the short term witha new Alice Springs Youth Justice Centre. The preferred site options raisedissues which include proximity to residential areas and did not meet community expectationsand needs.
The refurbishment at the Alice Springs YouthDetention Centre will ensure that the infrastructure supports rehabilitationprograms and that time spent in detention can be used to get young people backon track.
The Territory Labor Government is alsoinvesting in preventative programs to stop young people getting into trouble inthe first place. If they do, alternatives to detention give them apathway to a productive future instead of a funnel into an adult jail. Thisincludes the new Back on Track program, as well as other earlyintervention and prevention programs and services such as the Breaking theCycle youth crime plan in Alice Springs.
