Page 1871 - Week 05 - Thursday, 11 May 2017

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Young people in Bimberi are housed in like gender and age groupings. Due to the generally low numbers of sentenced young people in Bimberi, there are times when sentenced young people would be isolated from all other young people if they were only housed with other sentenced young people. It is therefore deemed more appropriate for young people, both sentenced and on remand, to be able to mix with one another on the basis of their classification ratings, gender and age rather than separating sentenced young people. This practice was acknowledged by the Human Rights Commission Report of 2011 and is consistent with Human Rights legislation and the Children and Young People Act 2008.

c. Why are newly arrived detainees at Bimberi, including those merely on remand, not being segregated from those who have severe behaviour management issues?

As discussed above, young people are housed based on gender, age and classification ratings. Bimberi is a highly regulated environment with strict protocols and procedures in place to ensure the safety and wellbeing of the young people. Daily routines are determined each morning through a classification meeting attended by all available staff on site, including Senior Management, the ACT Health Nurse, the Murrumbidgee Education and Training Centre Deputy Principal and youth workers. This is considered best practice. As noted previously, the Coree Unit, which is used on admission, is not being used for behaviour management purposes.

Bimberi Youth Justice Centre—boxing instruction

Ms Stephen-Smith (in reply to a question by Mr Parton on Tuesday, 28 March 2017):

2. We have received multiple reports that an instructor was taken into Bimberi to teach boxing. Did this occur, or have detainees been provided with any other combat instruction?

As a part of a young person’s Year 12 studies at the Murrumbidgee Education and Training Centre at Bimberi, the young person undertook a physical fitness unit during the school term. One small component of this class was some sessions which included elements of a ‘boxercise’ style class. This was not ‘combat training’ or the sport of boxing.

Bimberi Youth Justice Centre—staff training

Ms Stephen-Smith (in reply to a question and a supplementary question by Mr Milligan on Tuesday, 28 March 2017):

3. The Human Rights Commission’s 2011 audit of Bimberi identified lack of staff training as one area of concern.


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