No batons, spray at revamped WA youth jail DEMANDS for teen prisoners in Western Australia to be guarded by batons and pepper spray will not be granted by the state government. The Barnett government is preparing to reopen the repaired and beefed up Banksia Hill youth detention centre, following a riot in January which virtually destroyed the facility. That led to young prisoners being housed in an adult high security prison, a move that was challenged legally and led to furious opposition from human rights campaigners. It also led to calls from youth custody officers to demand more measures to protect themselves - but Corrective Services Minister Joe Francis said he would not sanction batons and pepper spray at the centre. "Some of these kids are here for significant offences, such as murder and rape," Mr Francis said. But this government will not at any time allow youth custodial officers to use pepper spray and batons. Mr Francis also attacked some officers, who he said were "taking the mickey" out of the state with continued work absenteeism. He claimed almost half of the youth custody officers rostered to work on Saturday failed to show. He said that was hardening the government's view to a possible privatisation of the facility. "They are clearly taking the taxpayer for a ride," Mr Francis said. Some of the teen prisoners in the adult Hakea Prison will remain there until Christmas, despite work on the state's only youth detention centre being nearly complete. After seven months, the works to repair and upgrade security, some youngsters will begin to move back in the coming weeks - but they will find a different atmosphere. Additional bars on windows have been coupled with higher fences and more security, to ensure a repeat of the January 20 riot does not occur. Mr Francis said the repairs and upgrades have cost about $1.5 million, out of a total of about $3.6 million the riot cost the government. "I don't want it to look like a maximum security prison - in fact I want it to look more like a high school," Mr Francis said.