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| State minister orders inquiry into claims teenagers spent months in isolated cells | State minister orders inquiry into claims teenagers spent months in isolated cells |
| (21 days later) | |
| The Western Australian government has ordered the inspector of custodial services to investigate the Banksia Hill youth detention centre after an investigation by Amnesty International, published in Guardian Australia, claimed teenagers had been held in isolated cells for more than 250 days. | The Western Australian government has ordered the inspector of custodial services to investigate the Banksia Hill youth detention centre after an investigation by Amnesty International, published in Guardian Australia, claimed teenagers had been held in isolated cells for more than 250 days. |
| The state’s corrections minister, Fran Logan, ordered the investigation be conducted on top of an internal inquiry by the Department of Corrective Services, which has already begun. | The state’s corrections minister, Fran Logan, ordered the investigation be conducted on top of an internal inquiry by the Department of Corrective Services, which has already begun. |
| However Logan denied that any detainees at Banksia Hill had been held in solitary confinement. | However Logan denied that any detainees at Banksia Hill had been held in solitary confinement. |
| “Can I assure the people of Western Australia, young people are not held in solitary confinement,” Logan told AAP on Friday. | “Can I assure the people of Western Australia, young people are not held in solitary confinement,” Logan told AAP on Friday. |
| “The only time that young people in Banksia Hill are held in separate accommodation is for protection for themselves.” | “The only time that young people in Banksia Hill are held in separate accommodation is for protection for themselves.” |
| Amnesty alleged that three children were held in the intensive support unit (ISU), previously known as the Harding unit, for up to to two weeks at a time between May and August 2017. | Amnesty alleged that three children were held in the intensive support unit (ISU), previously known as the Harding unit, for up to to two weeks at a time between May and August 2017. |
| Two were allegedly held in isolated cells for more than 250 days. One, an 18-year-old, has remained in the ISU since May, allegedly not let out of his ISU cell at all for the first two weeks, and since then only for 10 minutes a day. | Two were allegedly held in isolated cells for more than 250 days. One, an 18-year-old, has remained in the ISU since May, allegedly not let out of his ISU cell at all for the first two weeks, and since then only for 10 minutes a day. |
| Allegations included deprivation of family contact and education, excessive use of force and disproportionate restraints, degrading treatment and lack of adequate medical treatment – including psychological care. | Allegations included deprivation of family contact and education, excessive use of force and disproportionate restraints, degrading treatment and lack of adequate medical treatment – including psychological care. |
| Amnesty Indigenous rights manager Tammy Solonec told Guardian Australia that spending more than 22 hours confined to a cell without meaningful human interaction was solitary confinement under international law. | Amnesty Indigenous rights manager Tammy Solonec told Guardian Australia that spending more than 22 hours confined to a cell without meaningful human interaction was solitary confinement under international law. |
| The department denied detainees in the ISU were isolated and said they had “access to the same privileges as other young people”. | The department denied detainees in the ISU were isolated and said they had “access to the same privileges as other young people”. |
| The union representing Banksia Hill staff also rejected the allegations. | The union representing Banksia Hill staff also rejected the allegations. |
| The ISU was previously known as the Harding unit but was renamed in May after a number of detainees allegedly went on a destructive rampage. | The ISU was previously known as the Harding unit but was renamed in May after a number of detainees allegedly went on a destructive rampage. |
| A previous investigation by the inspector of custodial services, Neil Morgan, released in July last year, found that detainees were locked in their cells for extended periods for “behavioural management,” and that the department had taped over security footage that would have showed how long detainees had been kept in their cells. | A previous investigation by the inspector of custodial services, Neil Morgan, released in July last year, found that detainees were locked in their cells for extended periods for “behavioural management,” and that the department had taped over security footage that would have showed how long detainees had been kept in their cells. |
| It also found that detainees in the Harding unit received restricted access to food; that female detainees had been moved to the unit “without clear rationale” and with a corresponding increase in self-harm; and that detainees were being held in cells without being provided with one hour out of every six outside of their cells, as legally required. | It also found that detainees in the Harding unit received restricted access to food; that female detainees had been moved to the unit “without clear rationale” and with a corresponding increase in self-harm; and that detainees were being held in cells without being provided with one hour out of every six outside of their cells, as legally required. |
| The inspectorate, which was established in response to recommendations from the 1991 royal commission into Aboriginal deaths in custody, usually conducts own-motion inquiries. | The inspectorate, which was established in response to recommendations from the 1991 royal commission into Aboriginal deaths in custody, usually conducts own-motion inquiries. |