Children were locked up in a Tasmanian prison watch house more than 300 times last financial year, including one child who was detained for 55 hours.
The figures, released to the Greens under right to information provisions, come a year on since the state's custodial inspectorurged the state government to completely phase out the use of adult facilities for kids.
A watch house cell at Hobart Reception Prison. (Supplied: The Office of the Custodial Inspector)
Watch house cells are part of reception prisons and are designed for temporary detention for people, in this case children, awaiting court appearance, police charges or transfer to Ashley Youth Detention Centre.
They lack the facilities of prisons made for longer term imprisonment.
Also released under right to information was a ministerial briefing note dated June 12 this year, which said children may also be kept in the cells "protectively" while intoxicated by alcohol or drugs.
Concerns remain about the length of time youth detainees spend in reception prisons. (Supplied: The Office of the Custodial Inspector)
One child held for 55 hours
Last financial year there was an average of 26 monthly detentions of children in watch houses, the figures showed.
That was a decrease from an average of 31 monthly detentions, recorded over a 21-month period from December 2022 to August 2024 in the Tasmanian Custodial Inspector's report.
The longest detention time for a child in the past financial year was 55 hours.
The ministerial briefing note said in that case, the child was housed at Hobart Reception Prison, where children "are impacted by longer wait times for transfer to AYDC [Ashley Youth Detention Centre]".
The longest detention time at the state's other reception prison, in Launceston, was about 26 hours, the note said.
"The government have said they're committed to addressing this issue, but there's such a small reduction in the number [of receptions]," Greens MP Cecily Rosol said.
"The Greens question the government's commitment to that. Their actions don't match what they're saying."
Cecily Rosol says the Greens are calling on the government to address the issue. (ABC News: Ebony ten Broeke)
Kids tell of 'isolation' and 'suicide' cells
The 306 instances of children being held in the last financial year were of 140 different children, some of whom were detained multiple times.
In March, Interim Commissioner for Children and Young People, Ros Cornish AM, and her office shared interviews with young people who had been in watch houses.
An accidentally released government document last year detailed exposures of children to adult prisoners at the Hobart and Launceston reception prisons.
Mia, aged 17, said "there's always blood stains, bits of food chucked around, it's smelly".
"You could see people getting belted … you can see people getting strip searched sometimes. You can see a lot of stuff really. You can see people suicidal … and that ain't the best place to be either," said Andy, age 17.
"There is one called … isolation room or something. No TV, no mattress, or anything like that," said Tyler, aged 14.
"If you say you're going to self-harm, they take all your clothes off and give you a blanket and throw you in this room that has see-through windows and cameras."
The state government committed to establishing a dedicated youth remand facility, but progress has stalled. (Supplied: The Office of the Custodial Inspector)
A Department of Justice spokesperson said both Hobart and Launceston reception prisons now had body scanners, "which has significantly reduced the need to conduct any unclothed searches".
"If a young person advises prison staff that they are experiencing suicidal thoughts, TPS officers will take immediate steps to protect their safety," they said.
"This may include removing potential ligature risks, such as shoes or clothing with drawstrings, before placing the young person under close observation.
"A young person would not be left without clothing. In most cases, they will remain in their own clothing or, where necessary, be provided with prison-issued clothing."
Ros Cornish says it is "sad and exasperating" that a significant number of children and young people continue to be detained in adult facilities. (ABC News: Paul Verne)
Ms Cornish said her report "reminded the Tasmanian government that the United Nations Committee on the Rights of the Child has emphasised that children should never be held in adult custodial facilities, as it compromises their health, basic safety, and future ability to avoid reoffending".
Plans for separate facility unclear
A year ago, the Tasmanian government said it was exploring options for a separate youth remand facility for young people — specifically considering the expansion of the Hobart Reception Prison to create a separate area for youth.
"It is sad and exasperating that a further year on from this public statement, a significant number of children and young people continue to be detained in adult facilities, with reports of stays there reaching up to 55 hours," Ms Cornish said.
"This should alarm all reasonably minded Tasmanians,"
she said.
When asked on the status of efforts to establish a dedicated youth remand facility, a spokesperson from the Department of Justice said it was working with other departments and agencies to "develop alternate options for consideration".
Both Hobart and Launceston reception prisons now have body scanners, reducing the need for unclothed searches. (ABC News: Loretta Lohberger)
A government spokesperson said its Youth Justice Blueprint has "set the direction for youth justice in Tasmania for the next 10 years, with the primary goal [of] keeping children and young people out of the youth justice system".
"The Tasmanian government wants to see as few young people held in reception prisons as possible,"
the spokesperson said.
It also noted that "the detention of young people in watch houses is not a Tasmania-specific issue".
Tasmania has watch houses in both the Hobart and Launceston reception prisons. There are also two police watch houses attached to the Hobart and Launceston police stations — but the custodial inspector said its jurisdiction does not extend to police watch houses.
The state's custodial inspector has previously criticised the lack of inclusion of watch houses in the government's youth reform plan.
Documents on the reforms detail a new "therapeutic" youth justice facility — but it is not intended to replace watch house detention.
But the government did say its model of care was intended to "apply across all youth justice settings in Tasmania".
"Our Youth Justice Model of Care released in December 2024 provides for a coordinated and consistent approach to the delivery of trauma-informed, evidence-based and culturally safe services to children and young people in contact with, or at risk of coming into contact with the youth justice system, and their families across Tasmania," the spokesperson said.
