A Queensland Liberal National Party plan to reform youth detention has been met with doubt as the sector struggles with staff shortages.
Opposition Leader David Crisafulli has committed to mandating education for all children in youth detention if elected on Saturday.
Minimum isolation periods for children who commit assault would also be introduced as punishment.
Queensland Opposition Leader David Crisafulli has pledged to reform youth detention centres. (ABC News)
Griffith Institute of Criminology Professor John Rynne said such policies were “admirable” but already existed and were tough to implement.
“People that operate youth detention centres know what is appropriate [but] often don’t have capacity and resources,” he said.
“That is not without want of trying.”
Professor Rynne worked in the Queensland criminal justice system for 15 years after two decades spent in private psychology practice.
He said children in youth detention came from complex backgrounds, many with health challenges such as fetal alcohol syndrome.
Professor Rynne said it would be difficult to implement mandatory education in such a situation.
“You can make someone sit in a room, but I don’t know how you can make them learn if they don’t want to be there,” he said.
On the issue of isolating children who use violence, Professor Rynne said harsh punishments already existed.
“Violence against staff or even the likelihood of violence against staff can in no circumstances be tolerated,” he said.
“There must be policies in place to make sure that doesn’t happen, but they already exist.”
A separation room inside Cleveland Youth Detention Centre. (Supplied: Inspector of Detention Services)
Professor Rynne said the greatest challenge in implementing either of the reforms would be the ongoing staff shortages.
Separations due to shortages
Queensland Ombudsman published an inspection report of Cleveland Youth Detention Centre in August.
It found that children in juvenile prisons like the Townsville centre had inconsistent access to education for years.
The catalyst was security shortages and a 25.5 per cent staff turnover rate.
A safe supervision ratio at the centre is one youth worker per every four children.
When there is not enough staff, children are locked in their rooms alone. They do not go to school, play sports or socialise.
The lockdowns, known as separation, can last for many days at a time.
The report found the separations were affecting the wellbeing of children and posed human rights issues.
With children already being subject to lengthy separations due to staff shortfalls, Professor Rynne questioned the efficacy of isolation as punishment.
“If you punish a child in the same style that you manage them for organisational challenges, the child doesn’t understand the difference between punishment and organisational issues,” he said.
Professor Rynne says many children at Cleveland Youth Detention Centre have complex needs. (Background Briefing: Baz Ruddick)
Townsville employment specialist Clayton Cook said the staffing issues at Cleveland Youth Detention Centre (CYDC) were unlikely to improve in the near future as the city had near full employment.
“At the moment, Townsville is sitting between four and five per cent unemployment rate, which is low,” Mr Cook said.
“Without knowing the ins and outs of CDYC — they have a 25 per cent turnover rate, that leads to reduced numbers, which leads to issues with safety.”
He said the high turnover rate could be due to job satisfaction issues.
“Is it challenging and meaningful work? Fundamentally anything in corrective services or to do with children should meet that objective,” he said.
“People often work at the detention centre to improve safety or do good.
“If the reality is not meeting core objectives, that could lead to high turnover.”
Both major parties were unclear on how they planned to solve the staffing issues.
Deputy LNP Leader Jarrod Bleijie said the reforms announced would help retain staff.
Queensland Premier Steven Miles said a re-elected Labor government would continue to work with staff and the union to “attract, train and retrain the workforce”.
