QLD: Infamous youth detention centre closed

AAP General News (Australia)
04-29-2001
QLD: Infamous youth detention centre closed

BRISBANE, April 29 AAP - Brisbane's infamous Sir Leslie Wilson Youth Detention Centre
was officially closed today.

The centre opened in 1938 and was adversely highlighted in 1998 by the Forde Inquiry
into the Abuse of Children in Queensland Institutions.

The centre was decommissioned in February and today Premier Peter Beattie formally
closed the facility.

Mr Beattie said: "There are many painful memories for former residents and staff and
the formal closure will hopefully heal those memories."

The functions of the centre have been transferred to the Brisbane Youth Detention Centre
at Wacol.

Mr Beattie said the Department of Housing had bought the land for residential development.

Families Minister Judy Spence said the government was developing a program of prevention
packages to stop young people ending up in detention centres.

"We have undertaken a balanced approach to juvenile justice, closing outdated and outmoded
facilities and establishing community youth justice services as part of a new way of dealing
with offending youth," Ms Spence said.

AAP geb/cdh

KEYWORD: CENTRE

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