The Supreme Court can place a person on a Detention or Interim Detention Order upon an application from the Director of Public Prosecutions (External link) (External link). To make a Detention Order, the court must be satisfied that the person poses an unacceptable risk and cannot be safely managed by a Supervision Order.
People on Detention Orders are detained in separate, self-contained units within a custodial setting for the period of their order. When on a Detention Order, they are not under sentence and must be treated in a way appropriate to their status as a person who is not under sentence. People on Detention Orders may be permitted to wear their own clothes and undertake activities that are not otherwise available to prisoners under sentence. They are required to cook for themselves and maintain the accommodation provided to them.