Banksia Hill Detention Centre is the state’s only juvenile detention facility, holding both boys and girls, sentenced and unsentenced, from all regions, ranging in age from 10 to 18 years (and beyond).
The recent history of Banksia Hill has been characterised by instability. From the start of 2016, serious incidents occurred with growing frequency, including assaults on staff, climbing fences and roofs, and extensive damage to the centre. In early May 2017, two extremely serious incidents took place on consecutive days. In response, an experienced superintendent from the adult custodial system was placed in charge of the centre, and several other adult custodial officers were stationed at Banksia Hill to provide additional guidance and support. The immediate priority was stabilising the centre.
Our scheduled inspection took place in July 2017. It was an opportunity to assess the impact of those incidents and the centre’s response, and provide a broader assessment of the operation of the centre.