The WA premier says there have been positive changes in the youth detention system since he took over, despite the deaths of two juveniles. His comments are in response to claims from the former Corrective Services Commissioner, who's blamed the government for problems in the system. And a warning, this story discusses incidents of self-harm and contains the name and image of an Indigenous person who has died.
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00:00Former Corrective Services Commissioner Mike Reynolds has criticised the Government, claiming
00:06it wasn't interested in dealing with youth justice issues and there weren't enough resources.
00:13But the Premier says there's been improvement since he got the top job last year.
00:18I wanted to see change in our juvenile detention system to make sure we keep the community
00:22safe, we keep our staff safe and we keep the detainees in the facility safe.
00:27I'm very proud that today we have less than half the number of young people in that facility.
00:34He says a more therapeutic model of care has been brought in.
00:37It's a view echoed by the Inspector of Custodial Services who's been closely monitoring Banksia
00:42Hill Youth Detention Centre and the controversial Unit 18 inside Casuarina Prison.
00:48Good progress in the implementation of the model of care, seeing much better staffing
00:52numbers and recruitment and retention has had a big impact on that.
00:57We're seeing much improved out of cell hours for the young people in both Banksia Hill
01:02and also Unit 18.
01:04Mr Ryan says the death of Cleveland Dodd after self-harming in Unit 18 was the impetus for
01:09the increase in services and supports for young people in detention.
01:13Something else Mr Reynolds called for is a more welfare based approach to youth justice.
01:18The Aboriginal Legal Service agrees.
01:21Young kids who are not safe at home are going to find themselves on the streets.
01:25It's flat out because they find comfort in those numbers and that's where their friendship
01:30group is and that's where they feel safe.
01:32This government recognised there was a crisis in the family and domestic violence system
01:36and they called for a task force with representatives across state government and expertise from
01:42the community sector.
01:44They need to be doing the same for the youth justice system.
01:46We are in crisis at the moment.
01:49There has been two deaths in less than 10 months.
01:52Ms Gelito says the government needs to have a strategy for dealing with young people in
01:57crisis.