Coroner Recommends Urgent Closure of Troubled Youth Detention Unit in WA

The inquest into the death of 16-year-old Cleveland Dodd highlights systemic failures and calls for sweeping reforms in youth justice.

Coroner Philip Urquhart has called for the immediate closure of Unit 18, a youth wing of an adult prison in Western Australia, following the death of Cleveland Dodd in 2023.
Dodd, an Indigenous teenager, died after self-harming in the facility, which was described as inhumane and unsuitable for youth detention.
Preliminary recommendations include overhauling policies, implementing trauma-informed and culturally appropriate care, and limiting detainee stays to no more than six weeks if the unit remains open.
The coroner also suggested transferring responsibility for youth mental health care to the Department of Health and increasing support for detainees transitioning back into the community.
Cleveland’s mother, Nadene Dodd, condemned the conditions in Unit 18, calling for accountability and systemic change to prevent further tragedies.