Lexi,
With all due respect I'd say you have been hood-winked. I know from several incidents that these kids will put on such a perfect act that they actually believe themselves they're guilt-free. Only a couple of weeks ago the same craphead who broke into mine & twelve other houses in less than 8 months was spotted in someone's dinghy at night. The owner watched as the louts headed out & then broke down due to lack of fuel. The owner waited for them on shore & then belted the ring leader & the others swam around the jetty hiding where they could. After a little touch-up the craphead started crying like a little kid so the owner let him go by telling him to not ever try such a stunt again. As soon as he was out f reach the craphead started abusing the dinghy owner & alerted the Police. The owner only just managed not to get arrested because he didn't ensure that the other two were ok. One of those two later confronted the owner & tried to hit him for giving his name to the Police.

Hi there LEXI and INDIVIDUAL...

LEXI, I wonder who exactly placed these two girls in a gaol cell, and on who's authority were they confined ? In my years in 'the job' it's indeed very rare to confine kids in a cell for any reason. And it can only occur at the direction of a justice. Or again, on the rare occasion, it's for their own safety even protection. Being two youngsters, a watch would certainly be maintained. Kids being gaoled for swearing at a teacher ? I certainly hope not ?

There's a very strict convention emanating from the Hague, relating to the; 'Minumum' standards of treatment of young persons in lawful custody ! As far as I'm aware, Australia is a signatory of this convention. Moreover, Oz adheres quite closely to this convention.

For that reason LEXI, I find the material facts you've faithfully extracted from this book to be somewhat difficult to believe ? Unless of course the author seeks to incorporate some poetic licence, into his/her account, for a motive or motives unknown ?

May I ask you the title of the book please LEXI ? I've two on the events at Palm Island, subsequent to the unfortunate death of Cameron Doomadgee, and involving a Snr.Sgt Chris Hurley of Qld Police. The titles of my two books are;

'Gone for a Song - by Jeff Waters;

and

'The Tall Man' - by Chloe Hooper.

Both authors paint accounts of a very autocratic style of policing on the Island, led by a very physically imposing police sergeant. Further, both authors blamed Sgt Hurley for Mr Doomadgee's demise. Further, this is not the place to deal with Palm Island, other than to examine the facts, as alleged by the author of your book.

In a further response to your question, I'd like to know the reality of those events ? And ALL the facts, before I could make an informed comment. Or more simply put, being made fully appraised of the entire 'res gestae' of those events as alleged.

Thanks LEXI, I really appreciate your contribution immensly.

O sung wo I found the three posts above interesting.
It was from a book read in the 1990,s but when did it take place.
Lexis words translated from the book, could describe any prison cell in that era, even now in the bush.
Unlike Indy I do not know if the kids should have been in there.
But I know my parents, asked a country cop, to keep one of my siblings in for a few hours, it worked.
Nothing but shame in saying this, but as a helper still for this community, SOME kids that age are impossible to control.
You will know that, my thoughts on starting over, getting a 20 year plan in place, NOW to change the whole mess is fueled by the do gooders, we need understanding we owe it to these folk to care enough to make change work.

Dear o sung wu, and Individual,

The extract that I cited earlier came from a book
entitled "Why Weren't We told," by Henry Reynolds.
I bought the book from a Museum in Canberra that
dealt with Aboriginal History. I will quote
from the blurb of the book:

" The book is a frank
account of the author's personal journey towards
the realisation that he, like generations of Australians,
grew up with a distorted and idealised version of the
past. From the author's unforgettable encounter in a
North Queensland jail with injustice towards Aboriginal
children, to his friendship with Eddie Mabo, to his
shattering of the myths about our "peaceful" history,
this bestselling book will, shock, move, and intrigue.
"Why Weren't We told," is crucial reading on the most
important debate in Australia as we enter the
twenty-first century."

And as the author tells us, " What could the teacher
have been thinking of? Did the teacher or the Superindent
or the other members of the white staff wonder what what
the long-term consequences of their actions wouold be?
The Superindent had looked a little uneasy when he was
asked to open the jail. But only a little.
His response suggested that the incarceration of children
for minor offences was not unusual. He did not suggest
the two girls were especially difficult or hardened or
were repeat offenders. They had merely sworn at their teacher.
And their punishment was apparently within the parameters of
what was thought to be normal on the island."

I hope this clarifies things for you. As I stated earlier -
one can only hope that things have now changed - and will
never be repeated

Good afternoon to you INDIVIDUAL...

I must again assert, that I'm completely on your side ! As an ex copper I can appreciate and understand fully, both your frustration, anger and straight out fury at not only seeing justice NOT BEING DONE, but many escaping it altogether !

I cannot possibly count, the many poor buggers we've seen, who've been seriously wronged, that I've had to eyeball them and say '...sorry Sir/Madam, there's nothing we (the coppers) can do...' ?
Because of some legal issue, ID's or many other things that can quickly dislocate an investigation. I've said herein OFTEN. A copper may well know who's done the deed, but he must be able to PROVE IT in a court of law ?

Personally, I've suffered the loss of a car (stolen) a break-in to my own flat (in the early '70's), and several accounts of panel damage to my own car. In a large Shopping Mall car park, and witnessed by those, who've described the offenders as louts in an old car, but couldn't/or wouldn't describe either the make or rego thereof ? I was angry as hell.

The legal procedure we have is generally pretty good, nevertheless it does have it's peculiarities, including that of the 'presumption of innocence'. Personally, I reckon our system is pretty good, though it does need some 'tweaking' here 'n there in order to streamline some areas of operation.

In conclusion INDIVIDUAL, I agree with everything you say on this matter. Our only real departue is, I believe gaoling black youth is counter productive. Most welcome it, and none fear it. And many take great advantage of having been in 'the go slow' (gaol), for all the many reasons we've discussed earlier.

Now our white youth are an entirely different proposition altogether. Most need to be 'slowed right down', and taken out of the system. The biggest question, that I can't answer, is what sort and manner of confinement should they be placed.

Thanks again for your many excellent contributions INDIVIDUAL, I appreciate them.

Since my post earlier on I spoke with our new Senior Sergeant & all I can say is that his opinion of Magistrates pales mine. He had to stop short on telling me what he thought the best way of dealing with them would be.
Lexi,
relying on academic ideological rants as a reference is akin to throwing integrity out of the window & sticking your head in the sand. Keep in mind that many of them wouldn't get published if they didn't run down the non-indigenous & put the indigenous onto that imaginary pedestal.
Look at NLA digital newspapers & type in place names. You will find contemporary reports far more balanced than modern academic accounts.