16-year-old spends 2 years in near-solitary confinement at Don Dale Youth Detention Centre, suffers PTSD and mental health issues.

A 16-year-old boy has spent nearly two years in near-solitary confinement at Australia's Don Dale Youth Detention Centre, suffering from PTSD and severe mental health issues. Family and advocates criticize the conditions, asserting that isolation harms children's well-being. Despite a 2016 recommendation to close Don Dale, about 50 minors remain there, while the government plans to lower the age of criminal responsibility from 12 to 10, contrary to expert warnings. Scotland's successful reform shows an alternative approach.

October 12, 2024
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