Key Takeaways
- The coroner investigating the death of Indigenous teenager Cleveland Dodd has called for the youth detention unit he was held in to be closed and investigated.
- The coroner found that Cleveland’s death was caused by longstanding failures in the justice system, including prolonged periods of solitary confinement and a lack of access to health, education, and running water.
- The coroner made 15 adverse findings and 19 recommendations, including the establishment of a forum to explore whether the Department of Justice should have sole management over youth justice.
- Cleveland was subject to excessive solitary confinement, was not properly monitored, and was denied access to counselling services despite requesting it on numerous occasions.
- The WA government has previously said that many improvements have been made in youth justice since Cleveland died, but the coroner’s findings suggest that more needs to be done to address the systemic issues that led to Cleveland’s death.
Introduction to the Case
The coroner investigating the death of Indigenous teenager Cleveland Dodd has called for the youth detention unit he was held in to be closed and investigated. Cleveland was found unresponsive inside a cell in the trouble-plagued Unit 18, a youth wing of the Casuarina high-security adult prison, south of Perth, in the early hours of 12 October 2023. The 16-year-old was taken to hospital in a critical condition and died about a week later, becoming the first juvenile to die in a West Australian detention facility. The coroner’s findings have highlighted the need for urgent reform in the youth justice system, with a focus on addressing the systemic issues that led to Cleveland’s death.
The Coroner’s Findings
The coroner, Phil Urquhart, said that the unit should be closed as a matter of urgency, and a special inquiry with more powers than the coroner’s court should be convened into how it came to be established. He stated that "no child in detention deserves to be treated in the way Cleveland and the other young people in Unit 18 were treated at the time he decided to end his life." The coroner’s findings included that Cleveland was subject to excessive solitary confinement in his cell and was not properly monitored while in there. His damaged cell also had a hanging point which authorities were aware of but had not been repaired, and he had been denied access to counselling services despite requesting it on numerous occasions and making threats to self-harm.
The State of Youth Justice
The inquest heard that youth justice was in a crisis at the time of Cleveland’s death. Staff described the appalling conditions in which the young people were being detained and the chaotic operating environment at Unit 18, with some saying it was a "war zone." The coroner’s findings suggest that the systemic issues that led to Cleveland’s death are deep-seated and require urgent attention. The coroner made 15 adverse findings and 19 recommendations, including that a forum be established to explore whether the Department of Justice should have sole management over youth justice. These recommendations aim to address the systemic issues that led to Cleveland’s death and prevent similar tragedies from occurring in the future.
The Circumstances Surrounding Cleveland’s Death
In the 12 days before he harmed himself, Cleveland spent between one and two hours out of his damaged and unfurnished cell each day. Former Department of Justice director general Adam Tomison conceded that it was "cruel, inhuman and degrading" treatment when cross-examined. The inquest heard that Cleveland self-harmed at about 1.35am and staff didn’t open his cell door to help him for more than 15 minutes, with paramedics arriving a further 15 minutes later. The teen was partially revived and taken to hospital but suffered a brain injury because of a lack of oxygen. He died surrounded by his family on 19 October 2023. The circumstances surrounding Cleveland’s death are a stark reminder of the need for urgent reform in the youth justice system.
The Government’s Response
The WA government has previously said that many improvements have been made in youth justice since Cleveland died and that a purpose-built facility to house detainees from Unit 18 will be completed within three years. However, the coroner’s findings suggest that more needs to be done to address the systemic issues that led to Cleveland’s death. The government must take immediate action to implement the coroner’s recommendations and ensure that the youth justice system is reformed to prioritize the safety and well-being of young people in detention. This includes providing access to education, health, and counselling services, as well as ensuring that young people are not subject to excessive solitary confinement or other forms of cruel, inhuman, and degrading treatment.
Conclusion
The coroner’s findings into the death of Cleveland Dodd are a stark reminder of the need for urgent reform in the youth justice system. The systemic issues that led to Cleveland’s death are deep-seated and require immediate attention. The government must take action to implement the coroner’s recommendations and ensure that the youth justice system is reformed to prioritize the safety and well-being of young people in detention. This includes providing access to education, health, and counselling services, as well as ensuring that young people are not subject to excessive solitary confinement or other forms of cruel, inhuman, and degrading treatment. The memory of Cleveland Dodd must serve as a catalyst for change, and it is the responsibility of the government and the community to ensure that his death is not in vain.