Low-cost youth jail for Ingham has backers

A RADICAL new isolated, low-cost youth correctional facility concept at Ingham has won high-level support.

Hinchinbrook Mayor Ramon Jayo said he hoped to take the discussion to the Queensland Government.

“We believe Ingham could provide a useful venue for a correctional facility,” he said.

“It would create an isolated environment for the juvenile delinquents to be rehabilitated.

“We definitely would like for that idea to be floated with the government and to be at the table for those discussions.”

Townsville anti-youth crime advocate Greg Pellegrini said a body of community leaders had created a proposal for a grassroots approach to rehabilitating troubled youth.

“What we are proposing is a country-style correctional facility in Ingham: 300 acres of land with 100 acres of farming to be attached to it,” he said.

“We think it would provide a good healthy lifestyle, and a ‘work hard and reap the benefits’ mentality for young offenders engaging in outdoor activities such as farming, sport, and interaction with animals to try and re-establish a sense of self-respect, love and wellbeing.

“We believe such a facility could be built for under $5 million not $180m wasted on a concrete jungle which only see recidivists being incarcerated.”

Mr Pellegrini said the proposed facility could operate as donga-style accommodation and would require criminals to farm their own produce and maintain the grounds.

“These types of places can be set up very cost-effectively and have the protection and medical facilities provided without the tens of millions of dollar bills,” he said.

“These kids need to be incarcerated but they do also need to be cared for and reeducated, disciplined and made to work to understand how a proper community functions for their reintroduction after their extensive time in incarceration.”

Mr Jayo said the facility would take the strain off correctional facilities such as the Cleveland Youth Detention Centre, and would also create employment and business opportunities.

The idea surfaced as three elderly Ingham residents were seriously injured in a crash on the Bruce Highway involving youths in stolen cars just before Christmas.

A spokesman for Police Minister Mark Ryan did not answer questions specifically about a centre at Ingham.