34Removal of face coverings by visitors

34 Removal of face coverings by visitors

34 Removal of face coverings by visitors

(1) A juvenile justice officer may require a visitor to remove any face covering worn by the visitor so as to enable the visitor’s face to be seen by the officer or another juvenile justice officer or person assisting in following the procedures set out in subclause (2).

(2) A juvenile justice officer who requires a visitor to remove a face covering under this clause must, as far as is reasonably practicable, ensure that the following procedures are followed—

(a) the juvenile justice officer must ask for the visitor’s co-operation,

(b) the viewing of the visitor’s face must be conducted—

(i) in a way that provides reasonable privacy for the visitor if the visitor requests privacy, and

(ii) as quickly as is reasonably practicable,

(c) the viewing of the face of a child under 12 years of age may only be conducted if a responsible person for the child is present during the viewing,

(d) if the visitor is 12 years old or older and requests it—the viewing of the visitor’s face is to be conducted by a juvenile justice officer of the same sex as the visitor or, if a juvenile justice officer of that sex is unavailable, by another person of that sex at the direction of a juvenile justice officer,

(e) if the visitor is a child under 12 years old and the responsible person for the child requests it—the viewing of the child’s face is to be conducted by a female juvenile justice officer or, if a female juvenile justice officer is unavailable, by another female person at the direction of a juvenile justice officer.

(3) It is sufficient compliance with a requirement made under this clause if only so much of the face covering as prevents the visitor’s face from being seen is removed.

(4) A juvenile justice officer may not require a visitor to remove a face covering under this clause if the visitor establishes, to the officer’s satisfaction, that the visitor has a special justification for not removing the face covering.

Note.

A special justification includes having a legitimate medical reason for not removing the face covering.

(5) A visitor who does not comply with a requirement under this clause may be refused a visit to the detention centre.