The fact that dangerous weapons are found during strip searches at youth justice facilities shows just how necessary they are; if these offenders don’t give them a reason to be searched, they wouldn’t have to be in the first place, says Darroch Ball co-leader of Sensible Sentencing Trust.

“Any calls for them to be stopped are as dangerous as they are out of touch.”

“These facilities are not designed to look after abused, traumatised, or neglected children - they are purely designed to hold dangerous and violent young offenders to keep them off our streets and protect the public.”

“They are finding drugs, broken glass, shives, and other weapons. These weapons aren’t being made by these offenders because they are bored. They are purely designed to cause serious injury, maim or kill," says Mr Ball.

“This faux outrage directed at Oranga Tamariki proves that the people making these comments are either unaware of why they are being conducted or they are deliberately choosing to ignore the fact that there are some very dangerous individuals being held at these facilities for very violent crimes.”

“These crimes include killing, attempting to kill, and grievous bodily harm. They aren’t there because they stole a Moro bar, and they aren’t there because they are ‘traumatised young kids’. They have zero regard for the safety or lives of others and it is proven when weapons are constantly being found.”

“These strip searches being conducted are a clearly necessary last resort that is purely for the safety of staff and others at the facility.”

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