The state government will reopen the Malmsbury Youth Justice Centre to accommodate spiralling levels of youth offenders in custody due to the state’s new strict bail laws.
It comes despite claims made to the Midland Express by the Department of Justice just weeks ago that there were no plans to do so.
The government has confirmed an initial 30 beds will be opened as part of a new model at the MYJC, as remand rates for young people have increased by 46 per cent year-on-year.
“These beds will be for a lower-risk cohort aged 17 years and over – freeing up more custodial beds at Cherry Creek and Parkville Youth Justice Centres for serious high-risk offenders,” a department spokesperson said.
“The new model at Malmsbury will deliver a more intensive program of education, vocational training and job opportunities for this lower-risk cohort.
“It will also allow more tailored programs to be offered to young people at Cherry Creek and Parkville.
“This includes recent changes to the Youth Justice Act allowing rehabilitation programs to be offered to young people on remand – not just when sentenced.”
The spokesperson said 114 staff members would be recruited to work at the centre and works would begin immediately to upgrade infrastructure and security.
Extra beds will come online in a staged approach from early next year.
The troubled centre was the scene of violent riots in 2023 in which 13 inmates armed themselves with improvised weapons, threatened staff and brutally bashed and humiliated rival inmates.
In January of 2017, another riot at the centre led to a mass escape of inmates who later went on a rampage of assaults, armed robberies, aggravated carjackings and other serious offences.
