Details of violent episodes revealed at Victoria’s troubled youth justice centres
Staff at Victoria’s embattled youth justice centres are being attacked “daily” and are even being injured learning how to defend themselves.
VIC News
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More violent incidents at Victoria’s under siege youth justice centres have emerged — with claims staff are coming under “daily” attack.
Details of the assaults are revealed in WorkSafe incident reports, with inspectors raising concerns over the tense situation at Malmsbury and Parkville Youth Justice Centres.
Among the worst cases detailed in the reports:
• Two staff at Parkville were stabbed with pens.
• A Malmsbury officer was repeatedly bashed in the head.
• Youths at Malmsbury caused each other to black out.
• Juveniles transported from Parkville to Malmsbury launched attacks almost immediately after arrival.
• One staff member had hot water thrown at them, with sugar mixed in to make it stick and worsen the burns.
Employees also are being attacked by offenders not previously regarded as high risk, and being assaulted with kitchen utensils and instruments, reports reveal.
In at least two cases, offenders scaled supposedly anti-climb mesh fences.
Three staff were injured in tactical training sessions, where workers were learning how to protect themselves, reports show.
One ended up with fractured ribs, while two others required hospital treatment. The program is now being reviewed.
Details of the new incidents come after the Department of Justice was recently charged after a teen thug scalped a female prison worker with a guitar.
“Based on information provided by staff members and management representatives at this location I established that employees are not following policy and procedures within this workplace. As a result of this certain staff members are being targeted as a result of ensuring that the policy and procedures are followed,” the incident report said.
Earlier this year, inspectors visited Parkville to discuss a whistleblower’s concerns about “occupational violence”.
Their report stated “incidents of occupational violence from clients to workers is increasing and an event of occupational violence occurs daily”.
It showed how concerned staff were by the violence.
“Currently there is a lot of scrutiny on workers, so they are very hesitant to use OC spray or other tools to control situations … this is making the clients seem to think it is OK to assault staff,” an incident report states.
It also says staff would do anything to quell the disorder, even if it wasn’t part of their agreed guidelines.
“During critical incidents policies often aren’t followed as managers will instruct workers to do as they see is right to control the situation instead of isolating and containing situation as per policy and this often results in the situation escalating.”
Opposition youth justice spokesman Brad Battin said: “With the chaos and dysfunction that’s occurring in Victoria’s youth justice system under Daniel Andrews and Labor, not only are young offenders not being rehabilitated, the lives of both inmates and staff are being placed at risk.”
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Minister for Youth Justice Ben Carroll said there had been an unprecedented investment of more than $1.2 billion in youth justice, including new and upgraded facilities at Parkville and Malmsbury, additional staff and expanded programs and interventions for offenders.
“The safety of our hard working and dedicated staff is paramount and violent behaviour or assaults at youth justice centres won’t be tolerated,” he said.
“Tough new laws are now in effect – which we introduced – that strengthen consequences for young people who assault youth justice custodial workers or damage property. This includes a presumption they will serve their sentences on top of an existing period of detention.”