Crims going untracked

ONLY a handful of accused youth offenders have been fitted with a GPS monitoring device as a condition of bail under the Palaszczuk government’s new youth justice laws.

But the government is still insisting its reforms are working, pointing to the extra 100 youth offenders behind bars when compared with a year ago.

In the eight months since the government passed its youth crime laws, only three electronic monitoring devices have been fitted on 16 and 17-yearolds as a condition of bail.

The GPS monitoring devices were a major plank of the government’s youth justice reforms introduced last year in the wake of community pressure. So, too, was the introduction of a presumption against bail for juveniles charged with prescribed indictable offences.

Police Minister Mark Ryan has defended the progress of the reforms, insisting GPS monitoring devices come into play only when a court decides bail may be appropriate.

“And importantly, given the presumption against bail for recidivist offenders, that is happening less often,” he said. “If an order to fit a monitoring device is being considered, the court must be satisfied that the juvenile resides with a responsible adult who will ensure the conditions attached to the device are met.

“(If) the court isn’t satisfied that is the case, the likelihood is the offender will remain in detention, and that is what is happening.” Mr Ryan said he had been advised there were about 100 more juvenile offenders locked up than there were one year ago.

The GPS devices are only being rolled out as part of a trial, which will be subject to a review by former police commissioner Bob Atkinson.

Assistant Commissioner Cheryl Scanlon – who is heading Queensland’s Youth Crime Taskforce – pointed out that the trial of the GPS devices was limited to a select number of areas and was only for 16 and 17-year-olds.

“It’s only been in place for just over eight months,” Ms Scanlon said.