Review of security at Don Dale complete
Wakefield, Dale Suzanne
Australian Labor Party
Media Releases for 13th Assembly 2016 - 2020; Media Releases; ParliamentNT
2017-04-21
Made available via the Publications (Legal Deposit) Act 2004 (NT).
English
Youth; Prisons; Infrastructure; Security
Northern Territory Government
application/pdf
Issued as a Media Release
Northern Territory Government
https://hdl.handle.net/10070/266617
https://hdl.handle.net/10070/448814
https://hdl.handle.net/10070/448813
Review into DDYDC - Kendrick 21 April 2017 5 PRESCRIBED DETAINEE CLASSIFICATION PROCESSES During this review numerous Detention Centre Directives were examined. These Directives are staff instructions that provide standardised protocols and guidance for staff to perform their duties. Many of the Directives have not been reviewed within their prescribed review periods which generally expired whilst the DDYDC was under the control of the NT Department of Correctional Services (DOCS). One notable exception is that Directives have not been reviewed with the Machinery of Government (MoG) changes resulting in the transfer of the Youth Justice portfolio to the Department in August 2016. A process has commenced within the department to review these policies based on priority i.e. Use of Restraints Directive has been completed. In the absence of reviewed or newly issued Departmental Directives the DDYDC operates under the DOCS issued Directives. These Directives are still applicable and powers and responsibilities of the DOCS Commissioner have now been delegated to the Deputy CEO of the Department all staff were advised at the time that this position is in effect the Commissioner. Some comments were noted during this investigation that some of these Directives were no longer applicable under either the new DDYDC or the new departmental structure. Based on the preceding this is clearly not the case. It may be beneficial however for formal advice to be re-issued reminding staff that (until review) all DOCS Directives as they apply in respect to Youth Justice, are the current Detention Centre Operational Directives. If there is ambiguity or confusion advice should be sought from the senior departmental staff for the current application of any such Directive. In light of the above situation DETAINEE CLASSIFICATION1 is the current Directive for detainee security classifications. This Directive has been in place since 2014 as a DOCS authored document. It is noted this Directive is, and the Classification Manual, are presently under joint review between the Department and Danila Dilba Health Services. The Superintendent DDYDC has also proposed an amended Detainee Classification Document that was submitted in 2016 (believed to have been submitted to DOCS) however he was unable to advise on the current progression or whereabouts of the submission. According to the Superintendent the proposed document provides a better and more practical approach in dealing with detainees. The recommendations will not provide comment referencing this submission as it is noted that for the formal purpose of detainee classification the 2014 document is the currently endorsed Directive. The Deputy CEO Territory Families was not aware of the existence of this document until presented in the debrief on 11 April 2017. It does not form part of the Danila Dilba Review. 1 NTDOCS Youth Justice DDYDC Interim SOP Issued Dec 2014