ABSTRACT The Royal Commission into the Detention and Protection of Children in the Northern Territory (2016–17) was set up by the Australian Government following a national television broadcast of guards inflicting tear gas, physical attacks, mechanical restraint chairs, hooding and indefinite segregation on First Nations children. Through an examination of the Royal Commission's establishment, proceedings and outcomes, this article identifies how First Nations people were not afforded justice. Legal positivism tainted public hearings through adversarial proceedings and the cross-examination of First Nations young people by a hostile Northern Territory (NT) Government. First Nations witnesses were examined in court houses and convention centres according to predetermined questions. A wide berth was given to guards and managers to justify violence in youth detention. Lines of inquiry were directed to reforming, rather than transforming, youth justice and state-centred approaches. In implementing the recommendations, the NT Government failed to listen to the calls of First Nations witnesses for self-determination and decarceration. Consequently, violence in youth detention has continued unabated since the Royal Commission. This study has international significance and broad lessons for inquiries directed to First Nations justice. It demonstrates how positivist frameworks undermine truth-telling processes and fail to promote structural change.

中文翻译：

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北领地皇家委员会对青少年拘留的实证主义危险：原住民司法后实证主义框架的案例

摘要北领地儿童拘留和保护皇家委员会（2016-17 年）由澳大利亚政府在全国电视转播中对警卫施以催泪瓦斯、人身攻击、机械约束椅、戴头巾和无限期隔离原住民儿童。通过对皇家委员会的成立、程序和结果的审查，本文确定了原住民是如何没有得到正义的。法律实证主义通过对抗性诉讼和敌对的北领地 (NT) 政府对原住民年轻人的盘问污染了公开听证会。根据预先确定的问题，在法院和会议中心对原住民证人进行了询问。警卫和管理人员有很大的理由为青少年拘留中的暴力行为辩护。调查的重点是改革而不是转变青年司法和以国家为中心的方法。在执行这些建议时，北领地政府没有听取原住民证人关于自决和驱逐的呼吁。因此，自皇家委员会以来，青少年拘留中的暴力行为一直有增无减。这项研究对于针对第一民族司法的调查具有国际意义和广泛的经验教训。它展示了实证主义框架如何破坏讲真话的过程，并未能促进结构变革。北领地政府未能听取原住民证人要求自决和驱逐的呼吁。因此，自皇家委员会以来，青少年拘留中的暴力行为一直有增无减。这项研究对于针对第一民族司法的调查具有国际意义和广泛的经验教训。它展示了实证主义框架如何破坏讲真话的过程，并未能促进结构变革。北领地政府未能听取原住民证人要求自决和驱逐的呼吁。因此，自皇家委员会以来，青少年拘留中的暴力行为一直有增无减。这项研究对于针对第一民族司法的调查具有国际意义和广泛的经验教训。它展示了实证主义框架如何破坏讲真话的过程，并未能促进结构变革。