The NT Children's Commissioner points to 'continual and systematic use of extended lockdowns' inside Don Dale, which she says have increased since the NT government introduced tougher youth bail laws last year.
Ms Densely said the precarity of temporary contracts, ongoing staffing shortages and the recent incidents inside the facility were affecting staff morale."[Don Dale] is not fit for purpose, and unless they change the legislation, the numbers [of young people inside] aren't going to decrease … the numbers are going to keep increasing."
"They do important work which at times is not always easy. It is mandatory for all new Youth Justice Officers to successfully complete undertake a Certificate IV in Youth Justice and a six-week Youth Justice Officer Induction Course before commencing work in NT detention centres."Human rights organisation Change the Record said the self-harm incidents were not unusual given "children are put in highly stressful, very mentally distressing situations" inside the facility.
"As a result, you have a pressure cooker, where you have a large number of kids in the space that is not big enough, not stimulating enough, and means that they are being locked in their cells for protracted periods of time every day.Recent data shows there have been more young people inside Don Dale than at any time since the youth detention royal commission.