Statute Details
- Title: Place of Detention
- Act Code: CYPA1993-S205-2006
- Legislation Type: Subsidiary legislation (SL)
- Authorising Act: Children and Young Persons Act (Chapter 38)
- Authorising Provision: Section 55 of the Children and Young Persons Act
- Key Instrument / Number: S 205/2006
- Commencement / Effective Date: 1 April 2006 (appointment of the place of detention)
- Cancellation Date: 14 April 2006 (cancellation of the earlier Place of Detention Notification)
- Current Version Status: Current version as at 27 March 2026 (per the legislation portal)
- Place Appointed: Singapore Girls’ Home, 1 Defu Avenue 1, Singapore 359540
What Is This Legislation About?
The instrument titled “Place of Detention” is a subsidiary notification made under the Children and Young Persons Act (CYPA). In plain terms, it identifies a specific institution that the Minister has designated as a “place of detention” for children and young persons who are subject to detention orders or detention-related processes under the CYPA.
Although the extract is short, its legal function is significant: it operationalises the CYPA by naming the facility that can be used for detention purposes. In the juvenile justice context, the “place of detention” is not merely administrative. It affects where a detained child or young person will be held, and it forms part of the legal framework that ensures detention is carried out under the authority of the CYPA.
The notification also addresses continuity and change. It appoints the Singapore Girls’ Home as the designated detention facility with effect from 1 April 2006, and it simultaneously cancels an earlier notification (the “Place of Detention Notification (N 13)”) with effect from 14 April 2006. This indicates a transition from one designated place to another, with a defined overlap period to manage practical implementation.
What Are the Key Provisions?
1. Appointment of a place of detention (Section 1 of the notification). The core provision states that, in exercise of powers conferred by section 55 of the CYPA, the Minister for Community Development, Youth and Sports has appointed the Singapore Girls’ Home (at the specified address) to be a place of detention for the purposes of the Act, effective from 1 April 2006. This is the legal mechanism by which a particular institution becomes authorised for detention use under the CYPA.
2. Legal authority and ministerial discretion. The notification expressly grounds itself in section 55 of the CYPA. For practitioners, this matters because it ties the appointment to a statutory power rather than an informal administrative decision. When detention is involved, the legitimacy of the facility’s designation is central. The notification therefore functions as documentary proof that the Minister has exercised the CYPA power to designate that institution.
3. Cancellation of the earlier notification (Section 2 of the notification). The second provision cancels the earlier “Place of Detention Notification (N 13)” with effect from 14 April 2006. This is a classic legislative technique: it prevents conflicting designations and ensures that, after the cancellation date, the earlier facility is no longer authorised (or at least no longer authorised under that earlier notification) for detention purposes.
4. Transition management through staggered dates. The appointment begins on 1 April 2006, while the cancellation takes effect on 14 April 2006. That staggered timing suggests a transition period. In practice, this can be relevant for questions such as: which facility should be used for detainees during the overlap; whether any administrative arrangements were needed; and how to interpret detention placements during the period when both the new appointment and the old notification may have been in force (depending on the exact legal effect of the cancellation and any interim operational policies).
How Is This Legislation Structured?
This subsidiary legislation is structured as a short notification with two operative paragraphs. It includes:
(a) An enacting formula / notification framework indicating that the instrument is “hereby notified for general information” and that it is made in exercise of statutory powers under section 55 of the CYPA.
(b) Operative paragraph 1 appointing a named institution as a place of detention, specifying the address and the effective date.
(c) Operative paragraph 2 cancelling a prior notification, specifying the cancellation effective date.
(d) Administrative metadata (as reflected in the portal extract), including references to internal government documents and the legal citation format (e.g., “MCYS 133-03-79 V16; AG/LEG/SL/38/2005/1 Vol. 1”). While not substantive, these references can help practitioners trace the drafting and approval history if needed.
Who Does This Legislation Apply To?
The notification applies to the administration of detention under the CYPA. It is not directed at the public in the way that a regulatory code might be; rather, it authorises the use of a particular institution as a detention facility for children and young persons within the CYPA framework.
In practical terms, it affects:
- Detention authorities and relevant agencies responsible for implementing detention orders or detention-related decisions under the CYPA;
- Children and young persons who may be detained in a facility designated under section 55; and
- Legal practitioners who may need to verify that detention placements are consistent with the statutory designation of places of detention.
Because the instrument is a “place of detention” notification, it does not itself set out detention criteria, procedural safeguards, or sentencing/ordering thresholds. Those matters are governed by the CYPA. This notification’s role is to identify the facility that may be used once detention is legally ordered or otherwise authorised under the CYPA.
Why Is This Legislation Important?
1. It provides legal authorisation for where detention may occur. In juvenile justice, the legality of detention is foundational. A practitioner assessing whether detention was lawfully carried out will often need to confirm that the facility used is one that has been properly designated under the CYPA. This notification is the documentary link between the statutory power (section 55) and the named institution.
2. It supports compliance and defensibility in legal proceedings. If detention placement is challenged—whether through judicial review, habeas corpus-type proceedings, or other legal mechanisms—one of the factual/legal issues may be whether the place of detention was validly appointed at the relevant time. The notification’s effective date (1 April 2006) and cancellation date (14 April 2006) are therefore critical for time-sensitive disputes.
3. It clarifies institutional transitions. The cancellation of the earlier notification indicates that the legal landscape changed. For practitioners dealing with cases that span the relevant dates, the staggered timeline can be important. It may affect which facility was authorised at a given point in time, and it can influence how records should be interpreted (e.g., whether a placement during the overlap period should be treated as compliant with the new appointment, or whether the cancellation timing indicates a planned operational transition).
4. It reflects the governance model under the CYPA. The notification demonstrates that the CYPA uses a “designation” approach: the Minister appoints places of detention by subsidiary notification. This model is common where detention involves secure facilities and where the state must maintain control over the institutions used. For lawyers, it underscores that detention is not only about the legal order; it is also about the administrative/legal infrastructure that makes detention possible.
Related Legislation
- Children and Young Persons Act (Chapter 38) — in particular, section 55 (power to appoint places of detention)
- Place of Detention Notification (N 13) — cancelled by this notification with effect from 14 April 2006 (practitioners may need to locate the earlier instrument for historical placement questions)
- Timeline / subsidiary legislation register entries for S 205/2006 and the CYPA subsidiary instruments relating to detention facilities
Source Documents
This article provides an overview of the Place of Detention for legal research and educational purposes. It does not constitute legal advice. Readers should consult the official text for authoritative provisions.