Radicalised teenager’s juvenile jail jihad leaves justice staff injured

A TEENAGER who became radicalised while at a juvenile justice centre bit, headbutted and threw a chair at three juvenile justice officers, with each requiring medical treatment. He is one of 12 juveniles wreaking havoc behind bars.

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A TEENAGER who became radicalised while at a juvenile justice centre bit, headbutted and threw a chair at three juvenile justice officers last weekend, with each requiring medical treatment.

The 17-year-old Muslim convert is among 12 juveniles who are wreaking havoc behind bars, with frightened staff demanding the state government push ahead with a “mini-max” facility for children with extreme behaviours or terrorist associations.

Corrections Minister David Elliott last year declared he was “open-minded” to the idea, although cautioned it was not front of mind given the low numbers of detained children with terrorist-related offences.

Adding to government reluctance to establish a special unit are the damning revelations of the conditions children endured while taking part in the now ceased Chisholm Behaviour Program at the Cobham detention centre in Sydney’s west, including claims boys were being kept in isolation for lengthy periods.

A teenager became violent inside Cobham Juvenile Justice Centre.

A draft report from a review into the program was handed to Mr Elliott this week, with the full report expected to be released later this year.

However, juvenile justice staff say their health and safety is being placed at risk under the existing system, while children are also being left vulnerable to becoming radicalised as well as learning poor behaviour from their peers.

The Juvenile Justice Department and the Public Service Association (PSA) have been battling the issue in the Industrial Relations Commission for almost two years, with the matter subject to ongoing conciliation.

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Union representative Julie Ann Bond said the union had provided the department with details of how a special unit would work, while noting the controversial Chisholm unit had been designed by the department.

The teenager involved in the latest violent outburst at a juvenile justice centre is one of 12 children who are well-known to the department for having extreme behavioural issues, she said.

Corrections Minister David Elliott is “open-minded” about the idea of a “mini-max” facility for violent juveniles. Picture: Nathan Edwards

It is understood the department is waiting to transfer the teen to an adult prison as soon as he is eligible, with the 17-year-old being moved back and forth from Frank Baxter in Kariong and Cobham Juvenile Justice Centre in Sydney’s west.

Ms Bond said the proposed unit — been dubbed “mini-max” given it was to house “the worst of the worst” — was not intended to isolate children but allow them to undergo intensive assessment to help juvenile justice officers determine their triggers.

“They would still attend their usual classes, but would allow staff to better assess them to determine what is triggering their violent behaviour,” Ms Bond said.

“It would also allow them to be separated when they are behaving badly.

“We have had more than 60 assaults in the last three months with some of the worst cases resulting in staff having to be hospitalised. We are asking the government and the department for a unit in the centre where these kids with challenging needs can be managed safely.”

Acting Corrections Minister Mark Speakman said there were seven juveniles on the newly introduced National Security Interest designation who were subject to tighter controls than their peers.

The juveniles, who had either been charged with terror offences or had terror associations, were subject to mail, phone call and visitor restrictions, he said.

However, the government had not ruled out a specialist centre, with Mr Elliott to continue talks with the union over the matter, he said.

“The NSW Government remains open minded about the management of high-risk detainees to maintain staff safety and the good order of juvenile justice centres,” Mr Speakman said.

Originally published as Radicalised teenager’s juvenile jail jihad leaves justice staff injured