Police called to Rotorua Youth Justice facility after shank-wielding teens try to escape

General view of the youth justice facility, Te Maioha o Parekarangi Youth Justice Residence, near Rotorua which opened in 2010. Photo / File

Further details have been revealed about an incident at an Oranga Tamariki youth justice facility including how a group of "rioting" teens used weapons and tried to break into a control room.

An internal review is under way after the group of teen offenders attempted to escape from the OT facility in Rotorua last last night.

The Herald can now reveal the incident kicked off just after 11.39pm at the Te Maioha o Parekarangi Youth Justice Residence in Rotorua.

Nine youths armed themselves with weapons including shanks (homemade prison knives), mops and shovels.

They managed to escape from a secure area and climbed onto a roof.

The group tried to break into a "control hub" so they could get out of the facility.

Emergency services were called to the site just before midnight.

Police confirmed they were there but could not comment further.

A source has confirmed though that 14 youths were arrested on site and taken to the Rotorua police station.

They have been charged with rioting and "riotously destroying property".

OT General Manager of Youth Justice Services Peter Whitcombe said the "incident" involved "a group of young people" who "made an unsuccessful attempt to abscond".

"The police were called and assisted in the management of this incident," he said.

"No young people or staff have been seriously injured.

"Our initial assessment shows that systems that we have in place to keep young people and our staff safe were utilised successfully.

"We will not be commenting further due to an internal review now under way."

The Herald understands some of the youths managed to get on to a roof area.

Youth Justice facilities are all run by Oranga Tamariki.

Their residences are supposed to "provide a safe, secure and supportive environment where young people can get their lives back on track and improve their prospects for the future".

Young people are generally put into a youth justice residence if they are:

• arrested and put in our care until they go to Youth Court
• remanded by the Youth Court and need to stay at a residence until the case is settled
• sentenced by the Youth Court for three to six months
• sentenced to prison

Police confirmed they attended an incident at the facility last night but could not give further details.

There are four youth justice facilities in New Zealand.

A further 10 care and protection residences are in place but will eventually be closed and replaced with facilities catering to smaller groups with a deeper focus on the young people staying there.

The closures will come sooner than planned though, after footage emerged earlier this year of staff reacting violently to young people in the Christchurch facility.

OT chief executive Sir Wira Gardiner has ordered the process to be expedited.