AN investigation has revealed the use of excessive force by staff at Queensland's youth detention centres.

Restraint techniques used to control young people are being reviewed by the Justice Department after a report by the Commission for Children and Young People and Child Guardian highlighted "systemic issues" at the state's two centres in Brisbane and Townsville.

The report examines the cases of six young detainees who suffered serious injuries between September 2009 and November 2010, including a dislocated shoulder and fractured upper arm; four fractured wrists; and a fractured forearm.

One of the youngsters, who suffered a broken right wrist after being put in transport wrist locks by two workers, was just 148cm (4ft 10in) tall and weighed only 28kg.

The technique involves immobilising a young person's forearm and then bending their hand inwards, causing medium to high levels of pain.

Youth Affairs Network of Queensland executive director Siyavash Doostkhah said the report was "disturbing", especially with the State Government prepared to open Queensland's first two boot camps.

Mr Doostkhah welcomed the recommendations but said "an urgent independent inquiry" was needed, which should investigate excessive use of solitary confinement.

A Department of Justice spokesman said the recommendations were being addressed.

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From Brisbane Times' Tony Moore.

Ipswich mayor Paul Pisasale wants parts of the city's mothballed Borallon Prison to have its barbed wire pulled down to become a "working farm" for juvenile offenders. Two experienced Brisbane criminologist have given Cr Pisasale's idea for low security housing units inside the prison called 'The Village' the thumbs up.

However, Youth Affairs Network director Siyavash Doostkhah disagreed with the proposal and said planners should provide facilities for young people outside of a prison.

"Any connection with an ex-prison, I think it is inappropriate," he said.

"Our view is that working on prevention, keeping young people out of the criminal justice system."

Read more: http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/queensland/pisasale-wants-second-life-for-prison-20120705-21jrj.html#ixzz1zoEY5m4g

Youth Affairs Network of Queensland (YANQ) is highly concerned by the 'Boot Camp' proposal announced by the LNP today.  

YANQ Director Siyavash Doostkhah has raised concerns with the proposal, saying, “the young people in Queensland most likely to end up in these boot camps are Aboriginal young people, since they are the most over represented group in the criminal justice system.  

"Heavy handed approaches have not worked with this group in the past and there is no evidence they work for any young person.   “There are much more appropriate and proven models such as Adventure Based Counselling, which have a focus on experiential learning and with discipline as an integral part of the process”, Mr Doostkhah said. 

“It is disappointing that we still look to US for solutions when we know that they have the highest rate of crime in the western world. Boot camps have been operating in US for decades and various evaluations have highlighted that they just don’t work. However they seem to have maintained their popular appeal in the US and every now and then it raises its ugly head in Queensland”.  

Mr Doostkhah was also concerned that the soft reputation of modern 'boot camps' belied the violent truth behind the LNP's proposal.  

“Boot camps are about shock incarceration and breaking down individuals, similar to practices sanctioned in Guantanamo Bay. Boot camps rely on dominance and degradation, and this is certainly not what we want to role model for these young people”, he said.  

“The violence and oppression experienced by Aboriginal people in Queensland throughout the European history of Australia is well documented and boot camps will only add to this by adopting the same authoritarian strategies which have failed Aboriginal young people since European settlement”. 

YANQ believes that the LNP should focus on the second part of their plan, which is about supporting young people and their families. The money spent on boot camps could instead go a long way towards funding the support programs LNP has announced for young people and their families.

Following reports this morning in the The Courier-Mail of the bashing of 21 year old Noa Begic by Gold Coast police, Youth Affairs Network Qld’s director, Siyavash Doostkhah, calls for an inquiry into the Queensland Police Service’s actions.

“The Queensland Police Service is there to serve and protect the Queensland community, and particularly those that are vulnerable,” said Mr Doostkhah, speaking today in Brisbane.

“However, this shocking incident of abuse of a young person in custody is a significant breach of trust by Gold Coast police. As the peak body for youth affairs in the state, we call on the Queensland Crime and Misconduct Commission to launch an inquiry into how our police have got so out of hand.

The State’s Crime and Misconduct Commission received around 1300 assault or excessive force allegations against the Queensland Police Service in 2010/11. The CMC has also conducted several investigations of the QPS in recent years, including into the actions of Senior Sergeant Chris Hurley and Policeman Benjamin Price.

“It is of particular concern to us that Mr Begic alleges racial vilification and physical abuse by police during the journey back to the Orchid Avenue Station.

“We have been working with refugee, migrant and indigenous organisations for over two decades to stamp out racism in this state. To hear that the Queensland Police Service continue to be complicit in racist acts shocks us deeply, and we hope that this compels all Queenslanders to act.”

For comment, contact YANQ Director Siyavash Doostkhah on 07 3844 7713.

See more about the campaign to stop police violence here