Children Detained in Police Watch Houses: Facilities Never Designed for Youth
Across Australia, children refused bail are spending days—and sometimes weeks—locked in police watch houses. Built for short-term adult detention, these facilities lack the staffing, care, and conditions required for vulnerable youth.
Police Powers, Trespass and Malicious Prosecution: Cosenza v State of South Australia
The Court of Appeal in Cosenza v State of South Australia [2026] SASCA 49 discusses the limits of police powers, private property rights, arrest warrants, and malicious prosecution.
Concerns Raised About Youth Court Cells in South Australia
Concerns have been raised about the cells inside Adelaide’s Youth Court by SA's Guardian for Children and Young People Ms. Shona Reid.
SA’s new ‘Street Gangs’ Law
South Australia has just passed new laws aimed at “street gangs” that defence advocates worry will prejudice young people, Indigenous Australians and criminalise social behaviour.
SA Law Society Raises Concerns Over Youth Bail and Sentencing Reforms
The South Australian Government has introduced the Statutes Amendment (Recidivist Young Offenders) Bill 2025. Its stated aim is to address youth crime by targeting serious repeat offenders with tougher bail and sentencing measures. The Law Society of South Australia has voiced serious concerns about the scope, fairness and long-term consequences of the proposed laws.