More guards, training at Malmsbury and Parkville youth justice centres

TEEN thugs will face tougher security inside Victoria’s youth justice centres with an extra 21 highly-trained guards to be deployed under an expensive crackdown by the state government.

Police leave the Malmsbury Youth Justice Centre Picture: Rob Leeson.

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TEEN thugs will face tougher security inside Victoria’s youth justice centres with an extra 21 highly-trained guards to be deployed under a renewed crackdown by the state government.

The $50 million plan will see the second round of prison-style officers installed at the Malmsbury and Parkville centres and comes after Corrections Victoria staff took over the facilities earlier this year.

Youth justice workers will also receive 30 extra days of training, in the bid to help them control increasingly violent youths.

The hardened stance toward youth offenders comes as the long-awaited system-wide review by Penny Armytage and Professor James Ogloff is expected to be released on Saturday.

Conditions have been increasingly hostile in the centres. Since June 2010 more than $7.6 million in workplace claims have been made by staff including broken hands, noses, toes, facial injuries and stabbings.

The Parkville Youth Justice Precinct will be one of the sites expected to have additional guards posted.

Detainees attacked a guard in Malmsbury in January and staged a mass breakout, with some young offenders going on a statewide crime spree.

Insiders have warned of constant attacks and lockdowns and 30 employees have taken stress leave in the last two years.

Minister for Families and Children Jenny Mikakos said the Andrews government was committed to improving the system.

“We’re boosting staff in our youth justice system, and giving them the equipment, training and support they need to do their job effectively,” she said.

“This critical investment will improve how our youth justice system operates, and improve safety for staff, young offenders and the Victorian community.

The government will also incorporate a new classification team in the latest changes, who will assess high-risk detainees and recommend where they should be kept and how they will be dealt with.

Last month the Herald Sun revealed violent outbreaks and unrest were continuing at the centres.

Youths have also been threatening tradesmen who have been called in to fix up to $10 million of damage caused by detainees.

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