Oversight of youth detention
Youth detention centres in Queensland have a broad range of oversight.
Oversight refers to the actions taken to review and monitor youth detention and youth detention centres, including policies, to make sure they are compliant with laws, regulations and ethical standards.
Oversight takes place separately and outside of everyday youth detention operations.
Internal oversight
Internal oversight functions in the department, but outside of youth detention centres, include:
- internal audit
- internal practice and improvement reviews
- operational performance reviews
- professional standards
- youth detention inspection team.
Youth detention inspection team
The youth detention inspection team visits youth detention centres every 3 months. They monitor and assess them against criteria in Youth Detention Inspectorate Expectations for Queensland Youth Detention Centres (the expectations document).
The expectations document is based on a British model but has been amended to reflect Queensland laws and recommendations from inquiries such as the:
There are also international laws, conventions and standards about the rights of children in detention that Australia must follow. These are reflected in the expectations document.
The inspection reports contain independent assessments on the:
- security and management of detention centres
- safety, custody and wellbeing of young people detained in detention centres.
The reports include recommendations from research and best practice in other parts of Australia and the world. The recommendations are only advisory, but we use them to:
- promote continuous improvement
- promote strategies to lower risk
- increase professionalism of our staff.
The inspection team focuses on the safe custody and wellbeing of vulnerable young people in detention. Their work helps improve the accountability, integrity and performance of detention centres.
Inspections are conducted according to the:
Inspectors check to see if the recommendations have been implemented as intended in December each year.
You can view summaries of inspection reports for our youth detention centres online or make a right to information application if you want to see the entire report.
External oversight
Independent agencies also help to ensure that we keep improving service delivery to young people in detention. These include the:
- Crime and Corruption Commission
- Inspector of Detention Services
- Office of the Public Guardian
- Queensland Audit Office
- Queensland Family and Child Commission
- Queensland Human Rights Commission
- Queensland Ombudsman
- United Nations Subcommittee on the Prevention of Torture and other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment.