Consequence

Solutions to youth crime cannot just be punishment for the sake of it

CONSEQUENCE – That’s the key issue when it comes to curbing the youth crime crisis which is at the heart of much community angst. It is now clearly at a point where the young delinquents often involved repeatedly are so unconcerned about the justice system or how it will impact them that they happily advertise their crime sprees. Fat lot of good strengthening punishments for social media crime brags did.

From live-streaming car thefts and joy rides to performing burnouts in full-view of CCTV cameras, these teenagers appear to not care in the slightest that they can be identified. Indeed, some clearly crave the notoriety.

Many of them are repeat offenders who have been through the court system and are deeply unconcerned about it. An arrest and court appearance – almost always behind closed doors without either the media or public being able to see justice play out – is little more than a speed bump for them.

It’s the dark side of social media – looking for approval and clout by engaging in increasingly brazen criminality. There has been plenty of hand-wringing about it from the community and the politicisation of the issue has turned the conversation into electoral white noise and carping.

This issue cannot be simply boiled down to either allowing the status quo to continue or going full-on into ultra-harsh methods of punishment which do nothing but vicariously make others feel better.

The solution must find the balance between those who have been found guilty facing real, serious consequences for their actions while also trying to end the cycle of recidivism which we are seeing play out.

Punishment alone cannot solve crime.

Our state political leaders being open to allowing reporting on youth court proceedings is a start.

While this masthead does not argue that all youth court proceedings should be open and that all should be named and shamed, there are numerous clear examples where the public deserve to know the outcome of these cases. If justice is not seen to be done, it leaves the public feeling disenfranchised and disappointed in our system.