141: Inspection of the Intensive Support Unit at Banksia Hill Detention Centre - Office of the Inspector of Custodial Services

Image of a young persons hands holding onto a wire fence

Background

Banksia Hill Detention Centre opened in 1997. The centre underwent a major redevelopment from 2010 to 2012. Following this, the state’s only other juvenile custodial facility, the Rangeview Remand Centre, was closed and converted into an adult prison. Since October 2012, all juvenile detainees in Western Australia have been housed at Banksia Hill. Banksia Hill …

Key findings

The human rights of detainees in the ISU are being breached Detailed analysis of out of cell hours for detainees in the ISU demonstrate that, at times, their human rights have been breached. Throughout November 2021, analysis identified several days where three detainees did not receive their minimum out of cell time under both the …

Image of a young persons hands in handcuffs

Conclusion

The inspection into the Intensive Support Unit (ISU) at the Banksia Hill Detention Centre was triggered due to concerns we held about the welfare of detainees and staff after a turbulent period where critical incidents, including self-harm and attempted suicides, had increased. What we found was, unfortunately, similar to our previous work in this space …

Image of observation cells in the ISU at Banksia Hill Detention Centre

Recommendations

Recommendation 1 Re-introduce explicit minimum out of cell requirements for detainees in the ISU on a Personal Support Plan. Recommendation 2 Embed an additional welfare focussed, non-custodial workforce to supplement the existing workforce in the ISU and Cue Unit at Banksia Hill Detention Centre. DOJ Response – Banksia Hill Detention Centre (ISU)