Access , equity and power
More
on this story
Developing the interpersonal skills of custodial officers to improve outcomes for young people in detention
The problem
The 2017 Royal Commission into the Protection and Detention of Children in the Northern Territory found systemic mistreatment of young people who offend , including verbal abuse , excessive force , humiliation , punitive isolation , and the denial of basic human rights . The Royal Commission demanded sweeping changes in the Northern Territory and greater scrutiny across the sector .
52 .
Photo : Rajesh Rajput on Unsplash .
Our solution
Providing training and supervision for youth justice staff working in youth detention that is centred around support is vital to improving outcomes for young people in custody , says Dr Phillipa Evans from UNSW ’ s School of Social Sciences . Developing an environment that balances this support provided by youth officers with ensuring the safety of both young people and workers allows the best potential for rehabilitation .
Phillipa Evans is a social worker and criminologist at UNSW ’ s School of Social Sciences . She has more than 18 years ’ experience in mental health , child protection and juvenile justice . Her research examines