The Western Australian government has allocated $100 million for the construction of a new maximum-security detention facility designed specifically for high-risk youth detainees.
This new facility will replace the controversial Unit 18, which has been the subject of intense scrutiny and criticism due to its inadequate conditions and safety concerns.
The new detention centre is being hailed as “the best of its kind in the world” by Corrective Services Minister Paul Papalia, emphasising its state-of-the-art design and tailored approach to rehabilitating troubled youth.
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“Some of the buildings in Banksia Hill have literally been chipped apart, and they’ve taken bricks out of the wall and climbed above public spaces and attacked staff,” he said.
“This won’t be possible.”
Despite the substantial investment and ambitious plans, there’s no detailed timeline or completion date.
It means that Unit 18, where 16-year-old Cleveland Dodd took his life, will remain operational for the foreseeable future.
Children and Young People Commissioner Jacqueline McGowan-Jones stressed the need for immediate action.
“I need to know when. This is urgent and needs to be prioritised,” she said.
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The new facility, to be located adjacent to Banksia Hill, will have a capacity of up to 30 beds. Corrective Services Commissioner Brad Royce highlighted the significance of the project, emphasising that it presents a unique opportunity in 30 years to construct a purpose-built facility for youth rehabilitation.
Opposition Corrective Services spokesman Peter Collier doesn’t share the government’s optimism.
“You do not need two and a half years to build a secure facility for 20 juveniles,” he said.
He further condemned Unit 18 as “a despicable unit” that should have been closed immediately after its opening.
A mother of a former Unit 18 inmate welcomed the therapeutic approach of the new detention centre but said, “I feel sick that Unit 18 will remain open”.
Papalia defended the decision to keep Unit 18 operational, arguing that there is no viable alternative and that closing it would only exacerbate problems at Banksia Hill.
This article was produced with the assistance of 9ExPress.
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