Detention centre rules

If a young person is sentenced to a detention order, they will go to a youth detention centre. If a young person is remanded in custody, they will also go to a youth detention centre.

In detention, a young person is expected to:

• be respectful
• be safe
• be responsible
• be active.

This means as part of their day-to-day life in detention they will:

• go to school
• take part in programs
• show respect to staff and other young people
• follow staff instructions
• do chores in their unit
• use good manners
• maintain good hygiene
• go to bed at bedtime.

By following the rules and programs in detention they must not:

• refuse to go to school
• refuse to engage in programs
• graffiti or damage property
• swear at or verbally abuse other people
• bully, be aggressive or harm other people
• stir other young people up to be aggressive, harm other people or damage property
• have inappropriate physical contact with other young people.

Behaviour support

Effective behaviour support in youth detention centres is critical to the safety and wellbeing of young people and staff.

Behaviour support establishes appropriate expectations. It provides privileges and incentives for positive behaviour and ensures there are appropriate consequences for inappropriate behaviour. It also gives young people the chance to take responsibility for their behaviour and learn about the impact of their actions on others.

Behaviour support in youth detention is built on trauma-informed practice principles and is tailored to each young person’s individual needs. To understand the support each young person needs we consider their:

• personal circumstances
• age
• culture
• gender
• developmental level
• abilities/disabilities
• cognitive functioning.

Positive behaviour

Youth detention staff will help a young person be aware of their behaviour and encourage them to make good decisions by promoting and reinforcing good behaviour.

We will always treat young people with respect and dignity, encouraging a young person to treat others with respect and dignity too.

When a young person demonstrates positive behaviour, they can earn access to rewards and incentives like special activities.

Inappropriate behaviour

A young person has rights, including human rights, while they are in detention. We will not take away a young person’s basic rights and entitlements to punish them.

There will be consequences if young people behave inappropriately at the centre.

If a young person breaks the rules or behaves inappropriately, they will lose privileges. They may also have to do restorative activities, such as cleaning up graffiti.

A young person’s consequences will not include:

• being deprived of sleep, food or visitors
• physical punishment including being separated from other young people
• shaming or bullying
• having mail kept from them
• losing access to a telephone or other communication
• being excluded from cultural, educational or vocational programs.

Youth detention staff may use reasonable force to protect each young person, other people or property if a young person is behaving in a way that could hurt someone.

Staff may also need to limit a young person’s access to certain objects or areas of the centre to keep everyone safe if a young person’s behaviour has the potential to hurt someone.

Offending

A young person may be charged with a criminal offence and must go to court if they break the law while in detention, including if they:

• assault someone, including a staff member or another young person
• sexually harass someone, including a staff member or another young person
• discriminate against someone, including a staff member or another young person
• deliberately damage property, including breaking things or graffiti
• touch or damage fire alarms, sprinklers, cameras or security devices in the centre.

More information

• Find out more about daily life in detention.
• Read about programs and supports to help change a young person’s behaviour.