Police and prison authorities continue to negotiate with a group of inmates who have climbed onto the roof of an accommodation block at the Alice Springs jail.

The temperature is expected to reach as low as 1 degree Celsius in Alice Springs overnight and the inmates are only wearing shorts and T-shirts.

Bill Yan from NT Corrections said the eight prisoners did not have any weapons and they were in a secure area.

"You've got to be fairly determined if you want to do something like that. Obviously these guys were determined enough to go and do it," he said.

"These exercise yards are used on a regular basis.

"The guys like their exercise times, like the ability to get outside in the sunshine, and we normally don't have any problems."

The prisoners have not made any demands.

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The incident comes as the fallout from Monday night's Four Corners investigation into mistreatment of young offenders continues.

The NT's Corrections Minister John Elferink has been removed and Prime Minster Malcolm Turnbull promised a royal commission into juvenile detention.