WA's Commissioner for Children and Young People says urgent sweeping reform, not an inquiry, is needed in the state's youth justice system.
Jacqueline McGowan-Jones' call comes after the WA Government in early October revealed it would review the Young Offenders Act to ensure it was working effectively and meeting modern standards.
Ms McGowan-Jones said the justice system's flaws were already known.
"WA must transition to a therapeutic, holistic, wellbeing-focused youth justice system with legislation and policy that is guided by research and evidence," she said.
"Detention (should) only used as an option of absolute last resort; and an emphasis (is needed) on community-based programs that keep young people away from the criminal justice system."
Ms McGowan-Jones said more post-release support was needed to help offenders re-integrate into society.
She also renewed her call for the age of criminal responsibility to be raised to 14 years.
A WA Department of Justice spokesperson said diverting young people from the formal criminal justice system was among the key principles of the Young Offenders Act.
"The Department of Justice's Juvenile Justice Team operates a diversion program aimed at addressing some offending behaviours and is based on a restorative model of justice," they said.
"There are also a number of community-based programs, supports and services available whose role is to divert young people from the justice system."
The spokesperson said specialist support was on hand for youth in custody, including 24-hour mental and mental health services.
In August, questions from Greens MP Brad Pettitt in WA parliament led to the revelation there had been 39 self-harm incidents and one attempted suicide in Banksia Hill in a five week period, and 13 self-harm and one attempted suicide in three weeks at Casuarina's Unit 18.
Ms McGowan-Jones said ailing infrastructure and staffing shortages at Banksia Hill need to be rectified immediately.
Lockdowns have been used heavily to compensate for staff shortages in Banksia Hill.
In late August the Supreme Court of Western Australia ruled the lockdown of a 14-year-old boy in a cell for at least 20 hours per day on 26 occasions across four months earlier this year in the detention centre was unlawful.
The Department spokesperson said infrastructure upgrades were progressing at Banksia Hill Detention Centre, while recruitment and 48 new probationary offices had been employed since April, with an extra 34 to come by the end of the year.
The WA Government has committed $25.1 million to Banksia Hill for a Crisis Care Centre to provide a safe and therapeutic environment for at-risk young people.
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