NTIn ForceAct
Youth Justice Act 2005
154Use of force
Start here
Get a plain-English read of 154
Turn the raw legal text into a practical explanation grounded in Youth Justice Act 2005.
154 Use of force
(1) The superintendent of a detention centre or a person authorised by
the superintendent may use force if the superintendent or
authorised person believes on reasonable grounds that force is
necessary to:
(a) prevent a risk of a detainee:
(i) inflicting self-harm; or
(ii) harming another person; or
(iii) damaging property; or
(iv) escaping from lawful detention; or
(b) prevent a detainee from engaging in conduct that would:
(i) endanger the safety of any person who is within the
precincts of the detention centre, including the detainee;
or
(ii) threaten the good order or security of the detention
Notes for subsection (1)
1 See section 10 in relation to the use of force.
2 See section 152(3) in relation to the powers of a superintendent of a
detention centre when a detainee is outside the precincts of, or absent
from, the detention centre.
Youth Justice Act 2005 100
3 Other provisions of this Act also provide for the use of force.
(2) If the superintendent or authorised person uses force on a
detainee, the superintendent must:
(a) ensure the detainee is given an opportunity to be examined by
a medical practitioner, nurse or midwife after the use of force;
and
(b) if the detainee requires medical attention after the use of
force – ensure the detainee is examined as soon as
practicable by a medical practitioner, nurse or midwife; and
(c) keep notes of a medical examination under this subsection.