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WA government says transfer of Banksia Hill detaines to Casuarina has ‘worked’

Moving “violent young offenders” out of Western Australia’s only youth detention center to a separate unit at an adult prison has “worked”, the WA government says.

The comments follow widespread criticism of conditions for children being held in detention, in both the existing Banksia Hill Detention Center and an ad hoc facility set up in a section of Casuarina — one of the state’s maximum security male prisons.

Last month the Department of Justice moved 17 children, including one aged 14, to the unit at Casuarina, dubbed “Unit 18.”

Their hands and ankles were reportedly shackled during the move.

Toilets have been ripped out of walls in a damaged prison cell
The young offenders were moved to Casuarina Prison after they damaged cells at Banksia Hill Detention Centre.(Supplied: Department of Justice)

The department said the move was prompted by widescale damage to cells at Banksia Hill, and detainees had to be relocated so the cells could be repaired.

Reports of self-ham emerge following transfer

There have been subsequent reports of four of those children being taken to hospital after attempted self-harm.

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