About this service

Under the Inspector of Detention Services Act 2022 (IDS Act) the Ombudsman has an additional role, the Inspector of Detention Services (Inspector).

IDS goal

Promoting the humane treatment of detainees and the prevention of harm through reviews, inspections and independent reporting.

IDS function

The IDS Act sets out a framework for review of detention services, inspection of places of detention and independent and transparent reporting. The focus of the Inspector is the prevention of harm rather than responding to complaints when harm occurs. This preventative focus examines the systems and the lived experiences of people detained.

Specific IDS functions include:

• publishing standards for inspections
• inspecting places of detention in Queensland, including:
  • youth detention centres,
  • adult prisons
  • watch-houses
• reporting to the Legislative Assembly on inspection visits and making recommendations for improvement.

When carrying out IDS functions, the Inspector must have regard to the cultural background or vulnerability of detainees.

Staff from the Office of the Queensland Ombudsman support the Inspector’s functions under the IDS Act.

IDS inspection reports are published on our website.

Questions?

All enquiries should be directed to the online form.