Australian Children’s Commissioners and Guardians are calling on governments to ensure youth justice detention is focused on rehabilitation, and the rights of children are protected.
Australian Children’s Commissioners and Guardians are calling on governments to ensure youth justice detention is focused on rehabilitation, and the rights of children are protected when they’re in custody.
The Australian Human Rights Commission today expressed continuing and deep concern about the abuse of young people in detention.
“The focus on punitive measures is failing young people. A much better approach is to focus on effective early intervention, prevention and diversion programs,” said the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice Commissioner, June Oscar.
The National Children’s Commissioner, Megan Mitchell, said Australia has around 900 children and young people in youth justice detention at any one time.
The Australian Human Rights Commission today expressed continuing and deep concern about the abuse of young people in detention.
“The focus on punitive measures is failing young people. A much better approach is to focus on effective early intervention, prevention and diversion programs,” said the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice Commissioner, June Oscar.
The National Children’s Commissioner, Megan Mitchell, said Australia has around 900 children and young people in youth justice detention at any one time.
Australia should ratify and implement the Optional Protocol to the Convention against Torture (OPCAT) as soon as possible to ensure better oversight of youth justice detention, according to National Children’s Commissioner Megan Mitchell.
The key findings of an investigation into the oversight of youth justice detention in Australia are included in Commissioner Mitchell’s Children’s Rights Report 2016, tabled today in Federal Parliament.
In 2014 the National Children’s Commissioner examined how children and young people under 18 years can be better protected from intentional self-harm, with or without suicidal intent.
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1. Acknowledgments
Thank you, Father Frank Brenan, for your kind introduction. I also thank the Jesuit Social Services for the invitation to speak here this afternoon, at the opening of this important symposium on vulnerable children and the criminal justice system.
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice Commissioner Mick Gooda has welcomed the release of a report which highlights over-representation of young Indigenous people in the criminal justice system as one of the most neglected but urgent issues to be addressed in efforts to overcome Indigenous disadvantage.
