Rioting at Victoria’s juvenile detention centres has prompted calls for a state government inquiry into the youth justice system.
Families and Children Minister Jenny Mikakos announced last week extra staff would be allocated after a series of violent incidents.
A disturbance earlier this month at the Malmsbury Youth Justice Centre led to terrified staff barricading themselves inside an office as armed teenage inmates rioted. The violence reportedly left smashed windows, damaged doors and broken locks.
Community and Public Sector Union spokesman Julian Kennelly called management of the incident “a debacle”.
“This needs a full inquiry,” he said. “The gangs are running the place.”
He said the youth justice system was in crisis, with staff and vulnerable inmates being put in dangerous situations.
A recent WorkSafe report found violent incidents against staff at Malmsbury Youth Justice Centre were running at more than one a day and that staff members’ lives would be at risk unless staffing levels were increased.
Ms Mikakos said workers would also be brought in at the Melbourne Youth Justice Centre in Parkville.
A Victoria Police spokesman said police had been notified of an incident at Parkville in which a number of inmates had damaged property.
