Tackling youth crime timely

AT last the State Government is on the right track by targeting young repeat offenders as youth crime spikes in Cairns.

The city is to get a Community Youth Response program focusing on a core group of youngsters frequently committing crimes.

Dozens of charges have been laid against teenagers around the city in the past few days following car thefts, home break-ins, assaults and two ram raids.

Child Safety Minister Di Farmer said a core group of youths would be the focus of the program.

She says about 10 per cent of young offenders are committing almost half the youth crime.

“These are the young offenders we are targeting through our Community Youth Response – the CYR model has shown a 27 per cent reduction in reoffending for the highest risk group of young people,” Ms Farmer says.

“And if you’ve been a victim of one of those offenders, you can be confident that we are going after those offenders.”

The highly-regarded Wuchopperen Health Service Limited and Youth Empowered Towards Independence are the two organisations which will be providing diversion and cultural mentoring services in Cairns, aimed at youths aged 10-15.

The organisations, police and youth justice workers will work together with young people most at risk of offending and who need help to turn their lives around.

The community is fed-up seeing the same youths who have been dealt with by the justice system back on the streets, breaking into houses, stealing cars and property time after time.

This program has to work.

Nick Dalton

Deputy editor