Youth advocate slates police cell detention for teens

A youth advocate who spent time in police cells as a teenager has spoken out about the practice of detaining young people in that way. In the 11 months to the end of March, there were 165 cases of youth offenders being locked in a police cell for more than a day. In one situation, a 15-year-old boy spent six nights in a Nelson police station, before a judge ruled it unacceptable to hold him any longer. Tupua Urlich told RNZ reporter Katie Doyle putting vulnerable youths in police cells alongside adult offenders will only cause further trauma, and will increase reoffending rates.