Vic kids in adult prison under scrutiny

The Victorian government is fighting allegations it acted unlawfully and breached human rights when it transferred teenagers to an adult prison after riots at two youth detention centres.

Lawyers for 12 youth offenders are returning to the Victorian Supreme Court on Tuesday to challenge the government's decision to transfer them to Barwon maximum security prison.

The teens were among a group of young offenders transferred to the Grevillea unit within Barwon prison in November after riots damaged the Malmsbury and Parkville youth detention facilities.

The Grevillea unit is being operated as a youth remand centre and youth justice custodial centre, and is managed by the Department of Health and Human Services with the help of Corrections Victoria.

The Human Rights Law Centre and the Fitzroy Legal Service say Barwon prison is no place for children.

They say teenagers at Barwon cannot access the educational or rehabilitation programs usually provided in youth detention.

The children's lawyers are also worried teens as young as 16 could linger in the maximum security prison for up to a year if their legal challenge fails.