- Cook Government to construct new detention centre for the State’s most challenging young offenders
- The new proposed facility will provide for high security and therapeutic needs of complex, often violent young people
- $1 million allocated for detailed planning and business case development for new facility, planned to be adjacent to Banksia Hill Detention Centre
- Part of additional $77.1million to increase staff, services and support in youth detention including a new Crisis Care Unit at Banksia Hill
- Recent improvements at Unit 18 delivering more out-of-cell hours and interventions
The Cook Labor Government will build a new high security, therapeutic youth detention facility to accommodate Western Australia’s most challenging young offenders.
The recently completed Youth Justice Infrastructure Review has confirmed Banksia Hill Detention Centre cannot safely and securely accommodate this high-risk cohort.
The review recommends a new centre be built adjacent to the existing facility providing young people with the level of monitoring, supervision and support they need to stabilise their behaviours and return to Banksia Hill.
This two-site proposed model will see the most challenging young people provided high levels of support in the new facility enabling Banksia Hill to focus on giving stable, therapeutic interventions and education to more settled detainees.
Given many young people enter the justice system while affected by substances or with behavioural issues, the new facility will accommodate any high-needs remand detainees – before they are assessed for placement at Banksia Hill.
$1 million has been allocated in the Mid-Year Reviewto undertake detailed planning and a business case on specific location, cost and timeframes for the project.
The Mid-Year Review will see a total investment of $77.1 million to improve staffing, facilities and service provision in youth justice.
This includes $34.2 million to boost staffing levels at both Banksia Hill and Unit 18, for Youth Custodial Officers, Aboriginal Health and Services Officers plus other non-operational staff.
$8.2 million will fund upgrades to programs and services such as cultural, enrichment and support offerings, Aboriginal health services and foetal alcohol syndrome disorder (FASD) training.
At Banksia Hill Detention Centre, the planned new Crisis Care Unit will be a $20.7 million, eight-bed project which will provide dedicated support to young people experiencing mental health crises.
This takes the Cook Labor Government’s total investment for youth in detention to $169.2 million since mid-last year.
As stated by Premier Roger Cook:
“My Government is turning around our youth justice system.
“A new high security custom-built detention centre will allow the State’s most complex juvenile detainees to receive the therapeutic care and intervention needed.
“It will also allow for the closure of Unit 18, in a sensible and safe manner.
“Before that happens, we are spending over $169 million enhancing facilities and services available at Unit 18 and Banksia Hill Detention Centre.
“It means there will be more staff, more support and better safety measures in place.”
As stated by Corrective Services Minister Paul Papalia:
“The Youth Justice Infrastructure Review identified the need for a purpose-built facility to house a small cohort of challenging and disruptive juvenile detainees.
“Planned to be located adjacent to Banksia Hill Detention Centre, it will allow for a multi-tiered strategic response and easy access to shared services.
“A new operating model is now in effect at Unit 18, which has allowed for improved out-of-cell-hours and greater support for the most challenging young people in detention.
“Conditions at Banksia Hill have improved significantly in recent months.
“Detainees are spending more time out-of-cell, going to school and participating in programs and activities.
“Additional staff, programs and services will help to facilitate similar improvements at Unit 18 while the new custom designed youth detention facility is being built.”
