CYF staff should spend time in police cell, say Maori party

Maori Party MP Hone Harawira says Child Youth and Family (CYF) services staff should spend a night in police cells so they better understand that they are not the appropriate place to lock up youth offenders.

CYF said last week that 12 children were being held in police cells because of an ongoing shortage of beds at dedicated youth justice facilities throughout the country.

One boy had spent 12 days in a police cell.

Mr Harawira said it was intolerable that children were being kept in police cells -- an environment where there were also adult offenders present.

"I am outraged, as every parent and grandparent will also be to learn that Child, Youth and Family Services have willingly put children into police cells, as a 'holding pen' for youth justice units," he said at the weekend.

"Perhaps we should ask those who are making these decisions to try the same experiment -- a night in the cells might give them a chance to think of better ways to respond to youth offending."

He said the Maori Party would take up the issue with the ministers of police and social development.

"We will be asking them for an urgent briefing on the numbers, characteristics and experiences of children and young people across the range of places in which they may be detained.

"The bottom line is -- the police are not equipped with being able to respond to the complex needs of our young people. It's got to stop now."

- NZPA