Justice Matrix · Issues
Watch houses and holding children in adult cells
Why are children still held in police watch houses and adult cells, and what has been found about it?
Inquiry findings and conditions records on children held in watch houses and adult facilities.
23 cases14 campaigns1999–2026
19992026
The Law23
anchorAdversehighNeeds review
WA Inspector Report - Unit 18 Casuarina
Inspector of Custodial Services · 2023
anchorFavorablehighNeeds review
Children in Isolation at Barwon Prison (2016-17)
Victorian Supreme Court · 2017
FavorablehighNeeds review
ROGS Youth Justice - Productivity Commission Annual
Productivity Commission · 2025
FavorablehighNeeds review
ACT Raises Age of Criminal Responsibility to 14
ACT Legislative Assembly · 2025
FavorablehighNeeds review
Victorian Youth Justice Act 2024 - Raising the Age
Victorian Parliament · 2024
AdversehighNeeds review
NT Lowers Age of Criminal Responsibility Back to 10
NT Legislative Assembly · 2024
PendinghighNeeds review
TAS Commission of Inquiry - Ashley Youth Detention
Commission of Inquiry · 2023
PendinghighNeeds review
QLD Watch House Crisis - Children in Adult Police Cells
QLD Human Rights Commission · 2023
PendinghighNeeds review
OICS Review of Banksia Hill Detention Centre
Inspector of Custodial Services · 2022
AdversehighNeeds review
Closing the Gap Target 11 - Youth Justice
Coalition of Peaks · 2020
FavorablehighNeeds review
ALRC Report 133 - Pathways to Justice
Australian Law Reform Commission · 2018
FavorablehighNeeds review
Royal Commission into Protection and Detention of Children in NT
Royal Commission · 2017
AdversemediumNeeds review
QLD Anti-Association Laws (Youth)
Queensland Parliament · 2024
AdversemediumNeeds review
UN Special Rapporteur Visit to Australia — Detention Conditions (2024)
UN Human Rights Council · 2024
FavorablemediumNeeds review
AIHW Youth Justice in Australia Annual Report
AIHW · 2024
PendingmediumNeeds review
NSW Inspector of Custodial Services - Youth Justice
NSW Inspector of Custodial Services · 2023
PendingmediumNeeds review
SA Training Centre Visitor - Kurlana Tapa Reports
SA Training Centre Visitor · 2023
FavorablemediumNeeds review
Queensland Youth Justice Strategy 2019-2023
Queensland Government · 2019
FavorablemediumNeeds review
Amnesty: A Brighter Tomorrow - Indigenous Kids
Amnesty International · 2015
FavorablemediumNeeds review
Commission of Inquiry into QLD Youth Detention
Commission of Inquiry · 1999
Needs review
Australia: Children Suffering Under Criminal Legal System
Various · 2025
Needs review
Death in WA Youth Detention - Accountability Gaps
Various · 2024
Needs review
Cleveland Dodd Death in Custody Investigation
2024
The Movement14
Active2026
Tackle the drivers of crime to create safer communities
Victoria, Australia
Active2023
Free the Kids QLD
Queensland, Australia
Active2021
End Strip Searching of Children
Australia (National)
Active2021
Close Ashley Youth Detention Centre
Tasmania, Australia
Active2020
Free the Kids - End Child Imprisonment
Australia (National)
Active2020
Bail Reform for Children Campaign
Australia (National)
Active2019
Justice Reinvestment - Mt Druitt
Australia - NSW
Active2019
Youth Justice Coalition QLD - Voices for Change
Australia - QLD
Active2018
SmartJustice for Young People
Australia (National)
Active2016
Raise the Age National Campaign
Australia (National)
Active2016
Close Don Dale Campaign
Australia - NT
Active2015
Change the Record Coalition
Australia (National)
Active2013
Justice Reinvestment - Bourke (Maranguka)
Australia - NSW
Active2000
Youth Justice Coalition NSW
Australia - NSW
The People0
Lived-experience accounts for this issue are not in the matrix yet. Contribute one.
What the courts held
The doctrine, in the courts’ own holdings.
Held for protection (10)
“Victorian Government transferred children from Parkville to Barwon adult prison after riots. Supreme Court found the transfer unlawful. Children held in conditions amounting to solitary confinement.”
Children in Isolation at Barwon Prison (2016-17) (2017)Needs review
“Most comprehensive quantitative dataset on youth justice spending, outcomes, and disparities across all states/territories.”
ROGS Youth Justice - Productivity Commission Annual (2025)Needs review
“Children 10-13 no longer subject to criminal law. Therapeutic and restorative justice pathways. Aboriginal-specific support programs.”
ACT Raises Age of Criminal Responsibility to 14 (2025)Needs review
“Children under 12 no longer criminally responsible. Therapeutic interventions replace criminal responses. New First Nations Youth Justice Advisory Committee.”
Victorian Youth Justice Act 2024 - Raising the Age (2024)Needs review
Held against (5)
“Children held in adult facility without adequate education, recreation, family contact. 74% Aboriginal. Recommended immediate transfer back to purpose-built facility.”
WA Inspector Report - Unit 18 Casuarina (2023)Needs review
“Described as regressive and harmful. UN minimum recommendation is 14.”
NT Lowers Age of Criminal Responsibility Back to 10 (2024)Needs review
“Target off-track nationally. Only ACT showing improvement. Most jurisdictions seeing increased Indigenous overrepresentation.”
Closing the Gap Target 11 - Youth Justice (2020)Needs review
“Expanded police powers for youth. Criticised by legal community as disproportionate and ineffective. No evidence that association restrictions reduce offending.”
QLD Anti-Association Laws (Youth) (2024)Needs review
Playbook
What worked, what failed, what is reusable.
The pattern. Children continue to be held in police watch houses and adult cells despite repeated findings. This issue gathers the real conditions and inquiry records carrying these tags.
What to look for. Which facility, what the inspectorate or inquiry found, and whether a closure or enforcement demand followed.
This is a research resource, not legal advice. Read the linked source before acting on it.
On this issue recently
Nothing new in the last 90 days. The scanners watch the courts weekly; see what is moving across the whole matrix.
Research resource, not legal advice. Read the original source before acting. Cases and campaigns are gathered by shared issue tags; some may be machine-extracted and pending human review.