The NT Government is expanding a youth prison that it previously pledged to close. 

In 2016, media reports exposed the shocking treatment of some detainees at the Don Dale Youth Detention Centre, prompting a royal commission into the issue.

The following report recommended the government close the facility, but announcements this week suggest it is going the other way. 

It appears to be moving to fix the facility ahead of an influx of new detainees. The Territory recently passed changes to youth justice laws that make it more difficult for young offenders to get bail.

The number of youth in detention across the NT has almost doubled in the past year, and continues to rise each week since the legislation became law in May.

The NT government has announced it will spend $2.5 million on “fix and make safe” works at Don Dale, beginning immediately

“We have to get ahead of the game and that's what this is about — if we do see that rise in numbers, then we make sure that we've got adequate beds and that they're safe,” Territory Families Minister Kate Worden said.

“I was very clear that when we made the recent changes, there would possibly be a quick turnaround and some of those numbers would rise.”

The new works include the installation of household appliances alongside security upgrades. 

Ms Worden said the new upgrades were intended to ensure standards of safety and security laid out in the final report of the 2016 royal commission. 

Acting NT Children's Commissioner Sally Sievers says the ongoing detainment of children in the facility is a “national shame”.

“Whilst they can remove hanging points and paint walls, the spaces that are being prepared fall well short of providing an environment where there can be an expectation that children return rehabilitated to the community,” Ms Sievers said.

“Evidence shows that place-based, child and family solutions will achieve far more positive results for our children and communities. It is in these programs that the $5 million should be spent.”

The NT government has retained a plan to spend tens of millions of dollars building a facility to replace Don Dale near Darwin's adult prison in Holtze.