Queensland Government scraps youth bail houses as figures show children still being kept in police watch houses

The State Government will scrap youth bail houses from next month, despite data showing Queensland young people are still being locked up in police watch houses for weeks at a time.

Four homes were established in 2017 — two in Townsville and two in Logan — to bridge the accommodation gap for young people also in the child protection system.

Children and Youth Justice Minister Leanne Linard described scrapping youth bail houses as a prudent decision.

The announcement followed an external evaluation by Ernst and Young that…