Stuck in watch houses
Young offenders spend ‘weeks’ in isolated cells
GOLD Coast watch houses are holding young teens in isolated cells “for weeks at a time” as Queensland youth detention centres struggle to cope with an influx of juveniles.
The Brisbane Youth Detention Centre, designed to service all of southeast Queensland’s underage delinquents, has just two of its 130 beds available.
A concerned family friend of a Gold Coast teen waiting for a spot in the Brisbane Centre has been told the boy could spend up to two weeks in a watch house as dozens of children are on a waiting list to be processed.
“He’s in the watch house with no sunlight, no exercise, no visitation. How does that work?” said the man, who did not wish to be identified.
“He has done the wrong thing, yes, but he’s still human. He’s still a child.
“Anything can happen in a watch house. They shouldn’t be held for days with adults.”
The increased pressure on Queensland’s juvenile detention centres has been compounded by changes to the state’s laws around processing 17-year-olds under the Youth Justice system.
As of February, 17-year-olds at were processed as youths rather than adults.
Queensland Police said teens could be held in a watch house for “a short time”. However, police could not give an exact allowed time limit.
Queensland Police confirmed it was “temporarily housing a number of juveniles in watch houses”.
“(They) are either awaiting their first appearance, have been sentenced or remanded by a court prior to their movement to a Youth Detention Centre,” the statement reads.
Police also said juveniles are separated from adult prisoners while in custody at Southport Watch House.
“The safety and care of all persons in custody is a priority of the QPS,” police said.
A Department of Child Safety, Youth and Women spokesperson said this year’s increase in detainees was higher than usual, putting an extra strain on resources.
“Treating 17-year-olds under the Youth Justice system has created more demand on detention centres. However, centre populations have been higher than had been forecast, even taking that extra demand into account,” the spokesperson said. “Youth Justice is working hard to limit the amount of time young people spend in watch houses.”