BLOG: Victoria is closing a youth detention centre. What does that mean for children and the community?

The Victorian Government has announced it will close down Malmsbury Youth Justice Centre by the end of 2023. 

While we believe detention should only ever be used as an option of last resort, this news is disappointing – because it removes from the service mix an open-site facility that gives young people a better chance of rehabilitation, in favour of the new high-walled, maximum-security facility at Cherry Creek that we’ve long argued is unnecessary. 

If we want to give young people who have made mistakes the best possible chance to be accountable for their actions and to reset their lives, we need to provide the services and supports that make that possible. 

What is Malmsbury Youth Justice Centre? 

Malmsbury Youth Justice Centre is one of two (soon to be three) youth detention centres in Victoria, located about 100km north-west of Melbourne. 

First built in 1965, it has been refurbished over the years, and exists as an open- to medium-security site with 143 beds – of which around 40 are currently occupied. It caters to young men aged 15 to 20, and focuses on training and an eventual return to life in the community. 

It’s also the home of Victoria’s unique dual track system, which allows courts to sentence young adults to youth detention – not adult prison – due to their brain development, particular life circumstances, and relatively high likelihood of successful rehabilitation. 

Why is the Victorian Government closing it down, then? 

The Victorian Government is about to open a new, maximum-security facility at Cherry Creek, 50km west of Melbourne, with 140 beds. 

It says Cherry Creek supersedes Malmsbury, and that low numbers of young people in the system means there’s no need for three detention centres. 

But those low numbers are at odds with the government’s decision to build Cherry Creek at all. 

High walls and fences are not conducive to helping young people who make mistakes to address the underlying issues behind their behaviour, or to supporting them to lead healthy and positive lives. 

More than half of young people in Victoria who leave detention will return within 12 months – which indicates detention is ineffective at supporting young people to turn their lives around. 

What do young people need? 

The young people detained at Malmsbury, and in other detention facilities, are some of Victoria’s most marginalised: the majority are victims of abuse, neglect, or trauma, and experience high levels of mental illness, substance misuse, and disengagement from education. 

A strong and effective youth justice system acknowledges they will one day return to the community, and supports them to exit the system better off than when they entered – lessening the likelihood of their reoffending. 

When senior leaders from Jesuit Social Services undertook our #JusticeSolutions tours across Europe, New Zealand, and parts of the United States, we saw effective youth justice systems that shared an emphasis on rehabilitation, re-socialisation and skill development for young people; the retention of an experience workforce of staff skilled in trauma-informed practice; and a focus on small, home-like facilities built close to families and communities. 

Malmsbury may not be perfect, but the centre is closer to what young people need than the maximum-security Cherry Creek facility – and its closure means less flexibility in the service mix that supports young people to change their behaviour. 

What else can be done? 

Correctional facilities are just one part of Victoria’s youth justice system.  

As well as having an open-site, lower-security detention facility in its service mix, Victoria must provide as many off-ramps out of the justice system as possible, to divert young people away from detention and towards community-based accountability. 

Resourcing and strengthening programs that connect young people with education and training, employment pathways, and family and community is another important step. 

And immediately raising the age of criminal responsibility to 14 with no carve-outs or exceptions would help keep very young children away from the harm of the justice system and on pathways towards brighter futures. 

Young people who make mistakes must still be held accountable for their actions – but these responses can, and must, be therapeutic and focused on addressing the root causes of their behaviour.  

A more fair, effective and human youth justice system would mean less crime, fewer victims, stronger communities – and better outcomes for everyone.