Detention orders
If your child pleads guilty to—or is found guilty of—offences when they go to court, they can be sentenced to a detention order. This means that your child must spend a set amount of time in a youth detention centre.
A detention order starts on the day your child is sentenced. Your child may have spent time in a youth detention centre before they received their detention order. This usually counts as part of your child's detention order.
There are 2 parts of a detention order:
- time in a youth detention centre
- time in the community on a supervised release order.
The court will decide how long each of these parts goes for. The court can order your child to spend 50 to 70% of their order in detention and the rest of their time on a supervised release order.
What it involves
Your child will be transported to a youth detention centre. Queensland has 3 youth detention centres—2 in Brisbane and 1 in Townsville. When your child arrives at the detention centre, a nurse will check that they are well.
Your child will meet youth detention staff who will:
- check that they understand what is happening
- explain how the detention centre works
- give your child a booklet that tells them about the detention centre.
Your child will work with youth justice officers to:
- understand why they broke the law
- learn how to change their behaviour and stop offending.
Your child's daily life in detention will follow a set routine. They will:
- go to school in the centre
- do sports activities
- do other programs
- do chores in their unit
- have a set bed time.
Rules
There are rules your child must follow when they are in detention.
There are also rules that you must follow when you visit your child at the detention centre. You must not bring prohibited items, like drugs and cigarettes, into the centre. If you try to do this, you may not be able to visit your child again.
More information
- Learn more about young people and the justice system.
- Locate your closest youth justice service centre.
- Find out more about youth detention centres in Queensland.