The decision of the ACT Government to introduce weekend detention is to be welcomed, but with caution. Weekend detention adds to the armoury of sentencing options to the courts. It means fewer people will be sent to jail in NSW. This will be less disruptive for families. More importantly, it will enable some offenders to keep their jobs in Canberra. Further, it will save the high economic and social cost of full-time imprisonment. The scheme will require the refurbishment of the old Quamby youth centre. It is important that this scheme does not become the first step to an ACT jail. It is also important that the scheme does not result in people who otherwise would get community-service orders getting custodial sentences. The legislation has some safeguards to prevent that. The essential danger of the ACT getting its own prison is that it will tempt the courts to fill it up. The Attorney-General, Gary Humphries, appears to have had a welcome change of heart on a full-time jail and opted for the weekend jail instead.