464. Darwin’s Don Dale youth detention centre

Of course the minors detained at the youth prison in Darwin are convicted of crimes. Crimes are punished. However the treatment seems to be based on the opinion that these young people cannot be changed and guided in the right direction. It says a lot about the employment politics used in this area. Because if you believe that employees with the right qualifications cannot change the youth, you do not hire qualified people.

The costs of this prison could be put on better use using community based punishment combined with programs aimed at the underprivileged. Instead the local government has chosen a path which will hardened these young boys to become career criminals unable to readapt to the society.

Beside the waste of money it is safe to say that it is not a fun place to be as a teenager.

Source:

• Treatment of children at Don Dale prison could amount to torture, says UN (The Guardian)
• Evidence of ‘torture’ of children held in Don Dale detention centre uncovered by Four Corners (ABC news, Australia)