Politicians don’t know which way to go for Banksia Hill

In October, media released dangerous footage of children being restrained indoors.

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And because of continued staffing shortages, illegal solitary confinement is still practiced today, with frequent cancellations of regular programs, visitors, educational activities, and medical check-up appointments.

The situation within Banksia Hill has been undeniably intolerable for quite some time.

The increasingly punitive and forceful response has only increased the heat and pressure inside.

Most of the young people incarcerated are adolescents, but some of those sent to Banksia Hill are as young as 10 years old.

According to neuroscience, their brains are not fully developed and most suffer from poverty and trauma.

Nine out of 10 young people in Banksia have neurological and cognitive impairment. The prime minister’s view that FASD is just an “excuse” is not in line with medical professionals, academics, community service providers, or his federal colleagues.

Young people with disabilities need professional care and specialized treatment.

We need to keep our communities safe, but the methods used by fully capable adults just don’t work with these young people.

The evidence is clear. Providing effective, customized rehabilitation care improves overall condition, safety, and long-term outcomes.

This appears to address the underlying causes of problem behavior.

These include counseling and medication, professional learning and training pathways, and activities that build cultural ties and build a sense of responsibility and purpose in the community.

In fact, Social Reinvestment WA and more than 100 affiliated organizations and prominent Western Australians have already developed substantive policy and program solutions, recommended some concrete pathways, and invested in Banksia. offered to work on

But now, by investing in workforce development, we can quickly alleviate some of the pressure inside youth prisons.

We can move cohorts of the most vulnerable and youngest children, such as primary school children and girls, out of prison and onto safe community-based supports like SecureCare to ease the pressure.

The Department of Justice can partner with experts from Aboriginal community management organizations, disability and mental health providers, etc. to immediately increase and improve services within Banksia.

The prime minister portrayed the youth justice reform advocate as a sandal-wearing left-hander. I do wear Birkenstocks, but these comments diverge from the broad consensus of experts in the medical, legal and social fields. Aboriginal and community leaders.

We are all in agreement on the basics of how to resolve this crisis and stop another eruption.

Only the McGowan government doesn’t realize that the current treatment of children in prison is from the 18th century.

Sophie Stewart is Principal Manager of Social Reinvestment WA, an ISS Fellow for Innovation in Criminal Justice Reform, and was named a 2021 WA Young Leader of the Year.