NSW appoints acting Custodial Services Inspector as scrutiny of detention remains in focus

The NSW Government has appointed Sallie McLean as acting Inspector of Custodial Services for up to 12 months, filling a key oversight role responsible for reviewing the conditions and treatment of adults and young people held in custody across the state.

In announcing the appointment, the Department of Communities and Justice described the Inspector of Custodial Services as an independent statutory body that examines the conditions, treatment and outcomes for people in custody. The office carries out inspections, publishes reports and provides scrutiny intended to lift standards in custodial settings.

The appointment comes as Indigenous justice advocates continue to push for stronger accountability across police watch houses, prisons and youth detention, pointing to persistent overrepresentation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people behind bars. National figures underline the scale of the challenge. The Australian Bureau of Statistics reported that, as at 30 June 2025, there were 17,432 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander prisoners nationally, within a total adult prisoner population of 46,998.

Separately, the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare has found First Nations young people aged 10–17 were 21 times as likely as non-Indigenous young people to be in detention in 2025, and First Nations children made up 60 per cent of those detained.

In NSW, the Inspector’s mandate matters because oversight extends across custodial services and has the power to report to Parliament on systemic risks and findings. A recent report from the office examined issues such as segregation practices and standards in custodial environments, reflecting ongoing debate about safety, rehabilitation and human rights in places of detention.

For Aboriginal families and communities, independent scrutiny is often viewed through the lens of safety and accountability. National Closing the Gap targets include reducing the overrepresentation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander adults in the criminal justice system, and advocates argue that improving custodial conditions must go hand-in-hand with reforms that keep people out of detention in the first place.

Ms McLean’s appointment is temporary, with the government indicating the role will be filled for a period of up to 12 months. For stakeholders across the justice system, the focus will be on how the Inspector’s office uses its inspection and reporting powers to drive improvements – particularly for First Nations people, who remain disproportionately affected by incarceration and youth detention.