Capacity pressures impact young people's health, safety, access to education at Bimberi

26 August 2025

Today the ACT National Preventive Mechanism (NPM), a multi-agency oversight body that monitors places of detention within the Australian Capital Territory, released its Post Visit Summary report, following the first joint ACT NPM visit to Bimberi Youth Justice Centre.

Bimberi Youth Justice Centre is the ACT’s only youth detention centre. Staffed to support 21 young people, Bimberi has experienced significant sustained increases in the number of young people detained since March 2025. The report finds that the increase in detainee numbers, and subsequent pressures on staffing, is reducing young people’s access to education, health and other essential services.

The NPM visiting team, which consisted of the ACT Custodial Inspector, the ACT Ombudsman, the ACT Human Rights Commissioner, and ACT Public Advocate and Children and Young People Commissioner, made 6 recommendations to increase transparency and ensure the rights and wellbeing of young people are upheld.

The report comes nine months after the 2024 Healthy Centre Review, conducted by the Inspector of Custodial Services, with many of the recommendations still unimplemented by the government.

'It is disappointing that after nine months the ACT Government still has not responded to the Healthy Centre Review. The NPM is making many of the same recommendations,' said Rebecca Minty, Custodial Inspector.

The report criticised the practice of separating and containing young people to manage risks, given the increasing numbers of young people in the centre. The ACT NPM found that without active, busy days, young people do not have enough outlets to let off steam and tensions are likely to fester, heightening safety and security risks.

‘Young people are spending too long in their unit with little to do, which is not good for their mental health and can heighten tension in the centre. Young people in Bimberi deserve the same opportunities as young people in the community,' said Jodie Griffiths-Cook, Public Advocate and Children and Young People Commissioner.

'More numbers should lead to greater transparency and increased oversight, not less. Statutory oversight bodies must be able to freely access Bimberi to ensure this vulnerable cohort of children and young people are treated humanely and their rights respected at all times, regardless of the number of young people detained,' added Pene Mathew, President ACT Human Rights Commission.

Additionally, the report outlines the NPM's significant concerns about two use of force cases and the lack of trauma-informed approaches to a third incident.

'The level of incident reporting in the Centre is unacceptable. We are calling for the introduction of Body Worn Cameras to help Bimberi improve its transparency, record keeping and reflective practices,’ said ACT Ombudsman, Iain Anderson.

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Background

The ACT National Preventive Mechanism (NPM), comprising the ACT Human Rights Commission, the ACT Custodial Inspector, and the ACT Ombudsman, is an oversight body responsible for preventing torture and ill-treatment in places of detention within the ACT. As part of this work, the ACT NPM undertakes regular preventive visits to places of detention within the ACT under the Optional Protocol to the Convention Against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (OPCAT).

The visiting team consisted of Rebecca Minty, ACT Custodial Inspector; Iain Anderson, ACT Ombudsman; Pene Mathew, ACT Human Rights Commissioner; and Jodie Griffiths-Cook, ACT Public Advocate and Children and Young People Commissioner.

The team engaged with management, staff, and young people throughout the visit. The ACT NPM will provide its findings to government.

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