Westbrook a stain on child welfare

Interviewer. 'How did you know this happened?'

Boy A: 'I saw it. I was in the maximum security all the time … That's where [Boy B] ran away from, and Mr Z was on when he came in'.

Interviewer. 'So even in maximum security it can't be very secure?'

Boy A: 'No it's not …they all used to go over the wall …now they've put wire over the detention side, chicken wire, but you can still get out …Last Tuesday [Boy C] and two officers had a fight and [Boy D] come in to help …And while that was going on some knives were stolen. Anyway, later on, [Boy E] was in the cell and Mr Y, Mr X and Mr W all come in and beat him up and busted his ear and made it bleed, and busted his mouth, they all come in'.

Interviewer. 'Now you said earlier the officers will only get on to you if there's at least three officers onto one bloke'.

Boy A.'Oh, generally there's two or three … Even when there's a fight between the white fellers and the dark fellers the dark fellers always get the hidin''.

Interviewer. 'Just because the officers don't like darkies? You say that even though you're not dark yourself?'

Boy A.'That's right. I've seen the way it happens…And, uh, I spent a month in a cell because of that … I was talking to them and he [an officer] told me it was unnatural to have anyone who was not my own colour for a mate.'

Interviewer. 'Unnatural?'

Boy A. 'Yeah. He said he wouldn't punish me if I fought a dark feller, but if I fought a white feller …'

Interviewer. 'So, you'd say most of the officers in there are against the darkies?'

Boy A. 'Mmm. Even the head ones. One officer he's pretty good eh and some others, but most of them …'