Policing and detention
Media and commentary related to our work to provide critical oversight of NSW Police, prisons and youth detention centres, to protect human rights and ensure fair and lawful treatment.
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Segregations exceeding 24 hours at Juvenile Justice centres on the rise.
New data shows segregations exceeding 24 hours in New South Wales juvenile justice centres have increased over the past year, despite ongoing pressure on authorities to limit the practice. According to the latest NSW Ombudsman’s annual report, the office received 147 segregation notifications in the 12-month reporting period; a rise of 46 per cent compared…
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2SER interview: Why UN torture inspectors suspended their Australian visit
A UN Subcommittee responsible for the prevention of torture and cruel and degrading treatment recently visited Australia to carry out inspections of places of detention, which include prisons, youth detention centres and immigration detention. Shockingly, the Subcommittee ended its visit early, saying there was lack of cooperation from Australian authorities. The delegation released a statement, saying…
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Joint statement of concern regarding suspension of UN Subcommittee on Torture visit to Australia following lack of co-operation in New South Wales and Queensland
We express profound concern that the United Nations Subcommittee on Prevention of Torture (SPT) has been forced to take the drastic measure of suspending its visit to Australia due to obstruction encountered while attempting to carrying out its mandate during its visit to Australia under the Optional Protocol to the Convention against Torture and other…
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Statement of concern: NSW not facilitating prison inspections by UN Committee
A statement of concern from the Public Interest Advocacy Centre (PIAC), Community Legal Centres NSW, Human Rights Law Centre (HRLC), Amnesty International Australia, Aboriginal Legal Service (NSW/ACT), First People’s Disability Network Australia (FPDNA) and Change the Record We are concerned about reports that the NSW Government is refusing to allow the visiting United Nations Subcommittee on Prevention of Torture…
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Supreme Court challenge to use of solitary confinement in NSW youth justice centres filed
The Public Interest Advocacy Centre (PIAC) has filed a test case in the Supreme Court challenging the use of “segregation” (solitary confinement) as a form of punishment in youth justice centres in NSW. PIAC has filed a case on behalf of their client, Daniel, whose identity is being protected by a pseudonym.
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‘A huge toll on my mental health’: challenge to the use of segregation as punishment in youth justice centres
The Public Interest Advocacy Centre has filed a test case in the Supreme Court challenging the use of “segregation” as a form of punishment in youth justice centres in New South Wales on behalf of their client Daniel*. In 2016, while Daniel was held on remand at Cobham Youth Justice Centre, he was placed on…
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‘It broke my mind’: Former youth detainee sues after being held in solitary confinement
When Daniel* was taken into custody for the first time at the age of 17, he had never experienced any mental health issues. He was on remand for more than a year as he waited to face trial, and by the time a jury found him not guilty he was “different in the head”.
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Pandemic policing: The impact of COVID-19 fines on the justice system
As NSW continues to emerge from the pandemic, and the Government focuses on a return to “business as usual”, thousands of people across the state are still saddled with debt from fines. Legal practitioners are calling for a global solution to the millions of dollars that remain unpaid, and greater support for the vulnerable communities…
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NSW Police Targeting First Nations Kids With System Of ‘Pro-Active’ Monitoring
Lead solicitor for the Police Accountability Team at the Public Interest Advocacy Centre (PIAC), Grace Gooley told Junkee that the current breakdown between Indigenous and non-Indigenous youth on the STMP was “very, very concerning”.
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NSW police accused of ‘oppressive’ tactics against subjects on secretive blacklist
“We’ve known for decades that exposing children to repeated, invasive interactions with police is harmful,” PIAC’s principal solicitor Camilla Pandolfini said. “We need to be diverting young people from the criminal justice system if we want better outcomes, not increasing their interaction with it.”