Guards to enforce zero tolerance policy at Malmsbury youth jail
Guards will enforce a new zero tolerance policy at the Malmsbury Youth Detention Centre after the prison went into lockdown last week following a series of assaults on guards.
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A new policy of zero tolerance will be enforced by staff at the Malmsbury Youth Detention Centre after talks between union and management.
The Community Public and Service Union last night said the talks on how to manage unruly teen inmates had been productive.
“The talks delivered agreed new rules about behaviours and expectations around behaviours with zero tolerance from young offenders that give power back to staff to make decisions in units,’’ a statement said.
The centre, which has been in full or partial lockdown since Friday after assaults on guards, was gradually unlocked today.
The union and corrections management agreed to investigate how to increase staffing with the warning that employees maintained the right to “resecure offenders” if staffing levels were inadequate.
A recruiting push and induction course is expected to improve staff numbers which have fallen at the troubled centre.
About 25 Malmsbury and 35 Parkville staff are believed to be off work and receiving WorkCover payments.
“WorkSafe has issued notices under Victoria’s health and safety laws against the department,’’ the union statement said.
The latest assault involved youth worker Justin White being beaten with a plastic cricket bat and kicked. His colleague was punched in the head and face while intervening.
Two 18-year-olds and a 19-year-old man have been remanded to an adult prison until their next appearance at Kyneton Magistrates Court on October 14.
Last week, another male employee was assaulted with a makeshift wooden weapon.
— with AAP