Five separate facilities with a preventative rather than punishment focus will replace Tasmania's notorious Ashley Youth Detention Centre, under a government "blueprint" to reform the state's youth justice system.
In 2021, then-premier Peter Gutwein announced the detention centre, near Deloraine in Tasmania's north, would be closed within three years.
But after Tasmania's Commission of Inquiry into sexual abuse heard harrowing evidence of children and young people suffering sexual and physical abuse at Ashley, there was a push to have it closed immediately.
The government's proposed Youth Justice Facilities Model would replace Ashley with five purpose-built facilities, including a detention centre in Tasmania's south, two assisted bail facilities in the north and south, and two supported residential facilities at either end of the state.
The Minister for Children and Young People, Roger Jaensch, said the facilities would help keep young offenders engaged with education and employment and offer them supported accommodation and health services.
"Our government is determined to build a nation-leading approach that engages at-risk young people early, directs them away from the youth justice system and supports young people who come into conflict with the law to become valued and productive members of our community," Mr Jaensch said.
Facilities to have a 'therapeutic' focus
Under the model, the single statewide youth detention centre in southern Tasmania would only house young people aged 14-17 on either detention or remand orders for serious violent crimes, and only younger children in exceptional circumstances.
The Tasmanian government has already committed to raising the minimum age of detention from 10 to 14 years, although it has resisted calls to raise the minimum age of criminal responsibility from 10 years.
The detention centre would provide therapeutic care to address the underlying needs that were influencing the young person's offending, with onsite health, mental health, drug and alcohol, education and training services.
The two assisted bail facilities would aim to reduce the number of young people remanded to the detention centre by providing stable accommodation, help with managing bail conditions and support services to reduce re-offending.
Young people on bail would be able to live onsite in individual self-contained units if they did not have other suitable accommodation, or needed support for mental health or substance abuse problems.
Support centres in the north and south would cater for young people coming out of detention, or who had been ordered by a court to attend, to help them reintegrate into the community.
The centres would have individual self-contained units and staff, and young people would be supported to take part in education, training and employment and to access services in the community.
The model doesn't include information about where the facilities would be located, or when they would be built and start operating.
Children's commissioner wants more detail
Tasmania's Commissioner for Children and Young People, Leanne McLean, said she wanted to see more detail about the proposed facilities, but overall the proposal was positive.
"The broad strategic direction of going with a larger range of government-funded facilities to support children in the community is a good step in the right direction," she said.
"It is a shame that that is not accompanied by a raise in the minimum age of criminal responsibility."
Ms McLean said supported accommodation facilities for children who come in contact with the justice system were desperately needed.
"Many children and young people are in detention because they are homeless, and the crime they have committed is a result of being homeless, not having someone to care for them, and not having the material basics that they need to survive."
Ms McLean said Mr Jaensch had assured her the new detention centre would not be a part of the existing Risdon (adult) Prison Complex.
Greens Leader Cassy O'Connor welcomed the announcement of the new facilities.
"That said, Minister Jaensch was not clear on what will happen for next two years until AYDC closes," Ms O'Connor said.
"While the Minister's therapeutic facilities plan sounds good, as far as we know no sites have yet been identified and work seems a long way off."
Ms O'Connor said Ashley should be closed immediately, describing it as a "hell hole" and "no place for children and young people".
"Minister Jaensch should be finding solutions and alternatives now."
Other youth justice reforms detailed
The government has also released a plan to ensure the safety and well-being of children and young people who are currently in Ashley and will remain there until its closure.
The plan includes increasing safety and security for detainees, maintaining appropriate staffing, improving practices at the centre and delivering a therapeutic service model.
A 10-year Youth Justice Blueprint 2022-32 has also been released for public comment.
The blueprint proposed reforming Tasmania's youth justice system to focus on a therapeutic approach to reduce offending, reduce the over-representation of Aboriginal children, and support children to re-enter the community.
The youth justice plans will be finalised next year.
