Appalling Conditions in Indigenous Youth Detention
The United Nations has labelled the treatment of Indigenous Youth in Detention as ‘appalling’ and ‘ deeply concerning’ in its new report. A 15 day UN tour of indigenous communities exposed an ‘alarming’ amount of racial discrimination in these facilities. The UN’s special rapporteur on the rights of Indigenous people has criticised the ‘incredibly high’ incarceration rate of Aboriginal youth, saying it constitutes a ‘major human rights concern.’ In the Northern Territory, 95% of youth detainees identify as Aboriginal, with concerns emerging today that they are being incarcerated for ‘petty’ and ‘ trivial’ offences which don’t warrant detention. This punitive, rather than rehabilitative treatment has been deemed inappropriate, said to only perpetuate, not mitigate, reoffending. Set against the UN’s calls for the age of criminal responsibility to be heightened from 10- 12, it seems there is a major problem here.
The Daily discussed this with Head of Campaigns for Save the Children Australia, Tim Norton.
Produced by Madison Thorne
