Northern Territory police have confirmed its child abuse task force is investigating criminal allegations in relation to a young person at the Don Dale Youth Detention Centre.

Assistant Commissioner Jeanette Kerr said police had not yet identified any criminal offences and that investigations were ongoing.

"We are investigating maltreatment of a young person at the Don Dale [Youth] Detention Centre," she said.

Space to play or pause, M to mute, left and right arrows to seek, up and down arrows for volume. Listen Duration: 2 minutes 37 seconds 2 m 37 s Youth detention: claims teens in Darwin made to fight and eat animal faeces ( Felicity James ) Download 4.8 MB

The news follows claims made by a young person, who spent time at the centre, that staff at the facility made teenagers fight and eat animal faeces for rewards of junk food.

"We currently have one person that we are still speaking to where we think there are potential avenues for further enquiry," Assistant Commissioner Kerr said.

She added that there was currently just one investigation being conducted in relation to Don Dale Youth Detention Centre.

The allegations relate to the former Don Dale Youth Detention Centre which was closed and detainees moved to the former adult prison last year. This prison was then renamed the Don Dale Youth Detention Centre.

Minister for Corrections John Elferink told the ABC he was taking the allegations seriously.

"Of course you take them seriously which is why the matter has been referred to police for investigation, and the police will investigate it in the usual careful and methodical manner that they do so," he said.

"From my perspective, I know that these matters are, and have been, under investigation, and if anything flows from these allegations, that it will become a matter for the Northern Territory Police Force and the DPP (Director of Public Prosecutions).

Mr Elferink also said he supported the Northern Territory's Corrections Commissioner, Ken Middlebrook, who had been dismissive of the allegations.

"I have full confidence in the Northern Territory Corrections Commissioner," he said.

"He is a fellow who has served the people of the Northern Territory very well indeed, and we have seen a transformation of the Northern Territory corrections system, and I will continue to express my confidence in the commissioner."

Mr Elferink highlighted that the alleged incidents involving fighting and eating bird faeces for rewards, had allegedly occurred at the former Don Dale Youth Detention Centre.

"You've got to remember of course that the Don Dale that's been referred to is the one that I shut down. It no longer operates," he said.

"I've been on the public record on a number of occasions being critical of that facility because of some of its, in fact many of its, limitations."

Matter was referred to Police by a Government agency in May 2015

On May 8, 2015 a government agency referred a complaint to police and it was being investigated, police said this afternoon.

"Northern Territory Police take this type of referral extremely seriously," Assistant Commissioner Kerr said.

The allegations were made at a youth justice forum in Darwin on Monday and police say their investigations relate to some of the allegations made on that day.

Travis, 15, spent time at the Don Dale Youth Detention Centre last year and has alleged some staff made young people fight, with the winner getting extra soft drink and chocolate.

"You get Coke and a chocolate once a week," he told the ABC.

"So, boys, they wanted that a bit more than once a week, so workers would make them fight and stuff and do stuff that kids usually wouldn't do just so they could get it."

Travis also said staff at Don Dale encouraged a detainee to eat bird faeces and then posted the footage on the messaging app Snapchat.

"There was a peacock that came over from Berrimah prison into our prison and it started staying down bottom, where all the kids were and we started feeding it," he told the ABC.

"There was poo sitting on the ground one time and a young fella got dared to eat its shit and they videoed it and put it on Snapchat to all their friends and they gave him a Coke and a chocolate."

NT Children's Commissioner Colleen Gwynne has called for an urgent investigation into the claims, which Travis initially made at the youth justice forum.

Ms Gwynne also said her office had started making inquires into the matter.

"Detention is a place where we should be working with young people and assisting them to make better decisions in life," she said.

"Most of them have come from violent backgrounds themselves, to then turn around and encourage them to engage in such behaviours themselves, to me, I just find...I'm just flabbergasted by that."

She described the allegations as "absolutely horrifying" and said they should be referred to police.

No action without further evidence: commissioner

The NT's Corrections Commissioner Ken Middlebrook was at the youth justice forum when Travis made the allegations and said at this point he would not be taking any action.

"Not unless something substantive comes along for me to use. But listening to something coming off the conference floor like this, I put no validity in unless it's backed up with some evidence," he said.

Ruth Barson from the Human Rights Law Centre said it was time for the NT Government to act.

"The fact that there are allegations, that there's a culture bullying, that there's a culture of demanding or requiring or even encouraging young people to participate in behaviour that undermines their rehabilitation, that absolutely damages young people in terms of their development," she said.

"[It] should be ringing loud alarm bells for the entire Northern Territory Government."

This morning NT Chief Minister Adam Giles told 105.7 ABC Darwin he had been advised that police were investigating.

"I draw you back to the point that they are allegations," he said.

"We don't have knee-jerk responses. We give all of our support to the staff that work in Don Dale and in our corrections facilities and when allegations are made we make thorough investigations and that's the role of police not the role of politicians."

He said he did not want to see children in detention but he also wanted to ensure "safe streets".

"There are times where children do find themselves in detention," he said.

"[But] the children and the staff have to have a safe living and working environment.

"They're accusations, and I'm not discounting them."