Relational security: Balancing care and control in a youth justice detention setting in Australia

Background: Constructive relationships between staff and young people in youth justice detention are a vital component of a therapeutic youth justice approach, which extends to the maintenance of a safe environment (i.e. relational security). However, there is a dearth of research on relational security and how it can be implemented and operationalized in conventional youth justice settings.Objective: Our aim was to understand custodial officers' views on, and approaches to, establishing a relational approach with young people, while maintaining safety and security.Participants and Setting: We conducted semi-structured interviews with 26 staff at a youth justice detention facility in Victoria, Australia.Methods: Thematic analysis using a framework analysis approach.Results: Four main themes were derived: Staff roles, maintaining a safe environment, establishing a constructive relationship, and staffing challenges.Conclusions: These findings shed light on how relational security principles can provide a way to balance the care and support of young people with a need for safety and security in a conventional youth justice detention setting in Australia, as well as challenges of current procedures and arrangements. We argue that a relational security approach should inform staff recruitment, training, support, and management strategies, as well as decisions about the design and use of space in youth justice detention settings.