Corrections staff to patrol Victoria’s youth prisons
UPDATE: CORRECTIONS staff armed with batons and capsicum spray will be sent into the state’s youth justice facilities in the wake of damaging riots and prisoner escapes.
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CORRECTIONS staff armed with batons and capsicum spray will be sent into the state’s youth justice facilities in the wake of damaging riots and prisoner escapes.
The drastic measures will see about 40 staff, who are trained to control order in adult prisons, sent into facilities at Malmsbury and Parkville with weapons.
The Herald Sun understands they will be able to carry capsicum spray and batons and will have powers to use them to maintain order among those in custody.
A special order has been made to allow the corrections staff to work in the youth justice centres under the Children’s and Families Act, but they will still be under the direction and control of the Department of Health and Human Services.
Premier Daniel Andrews said it was a “big step”, but one that was needed after violent teens attacked staff and escaped a secure facility on Wednesday.
“What this means is that those staff who have the training, the equipment and the expertise to return order and to guarantee the security of these facilities will be charged with doing just that,” he said.
The premier has been slammed for his response to the crisis, but defended his actions and said that there would be major changes to youth justice made in the future, once a new facility was built to house our worst offending teens.
When asked if he accepted responsibility for the failings in the system, Mr Andrews said: “I accept responsibility as the leader of the government, as the leader of the state, to maintain order and to make the changes necessary to bring security and safety to the youth justice system”.
“What has occurred is clearly unacceptable and I am committed to making the changes, to do whatever we possibly can, to ensure that we don’t have a repeat of what occurred yesterday. That’s called doing your job and getting it done and that’s what I intend to do.”
The teen rampage on Wednesday night began when offenders broke out of the Malmsbury Youth Justice Centre, before they went on to steal cars and assault Victorians in a crime wave.
All were recaptured by yesterday afternoon.
A government subcommittee met during a series of crisis meetings over the past 48 hours, but Mr Andrews said work had already been underway on how to transform youth justice with corrections staff.
As revealed by the Herald Sun, the government is also preparing to build a new “youth prison” to house violent offenders Victoria is now dealing with and who have run riot at existing detention centres.
“That facility will be a significant investment. It will be many hundreds of millions of dollars, but it is absolutely necessary,” Mr Andrews said.
About 30 inmates were involved in a riot at the justice centre on Wednesday, with 15 of them escaping after assaulting a staff member and stealing a security pass.
Eight were captured before nightfall on Wednesday, while the other seven were suspected of arming themselves with a knife and a baseball bat and committing four armed robberies in Noble Park, Bonbeach and Moe.
The last two inmates were on the run for 24 hours before being arrested. It was the latest in a string of riots that have plagued the Malmsbury and Parkville youth justice centres.
Some youths have had to be moved to a unit at an adult prison after damage to the youth jails meant there were no longer enough secure beds to hold them.
Opposition Leader Matthew Guy said it was a “half-baked solution” and accused Mr Andrews of “sticking his head in the sand”
“Victorians are rightfully wondering whether the Premier takes this issue seriously,” Mr Guy said.
“Daniel Andrews appears too weak, too soft to front up to the issues that our state is facing.”
“This government is asleep at the wheel when it comes to keeping our community safe.”
Mr Guy said the entire youth justice system should be handled by the Department of Justice and the Corrections Minister.
Victorian Greens MP Nina Springle criticised the idea that youth justice facilities could be eventually moved under the control of Corrections Victoria, saying it would fail to “rehabilitate offenders or make the community safer”.
“This will lead us down the path to another Dondale,” she said.
“It’s not easy when children exhibit violent behaviour, but young people are developmentally different to adults and the response needs to focus on rehabilitation.
“Turning youth justice facilities into prisons will make the situation worse.”
Community and Public Sector Union youth justice spokesman Andy Capp welcomed the government’s announcement.
“We have been advocating for this for a long time,’’ he said,
“We think it is a good thing. There is still detail we would like to know, probably like everyone and we hope there will be continuing discussion about what measures need to be taken to respond.’’
Families Minister Jenny Mikakos said three of the latest offenders had been sent to Barwon Prison, which currently houses more than 20 youth offenders in a special wing set up after a Parkville riot.
Ms Mikakos said she expected more would be sent there in coming days, after they are processed by police in Bendigo and Ballarat.