Crime victim aids offender

Illiterate kid crim learns lessons for new life

A TOWNSVILLE teenager who committed a burglary and car theft has found an unlikely mentor in his victim.

After teaching student Emily Negrin met the young offender through a “restorative justice” program and discovered that he had left school at the age of 10, she offered him tutoring.

The boy, 15, acted as a lookout when his friends broke into Ms Negrin’s Rasmussen home on February 7.

The group stole two cars belonging to Ms Negrin, 24, and her partner.

The boy, who can’t be identified for legal reasons, was court- ordered to participate in restorative justice conferencing, where victims and offenders meet face- to- face.

Ms Negrin said she jumped at the chance to participate. “I actually got a letter in the mail that said that he had been sentenced and that he had three convictions and that he was given restorative justice,” she said.

She offered the boy six English tutoring lessons. “When I found out that he wasn’t attending school and couldn’t read or write I thought I would give him the opportunity to help himself,” she said.

“I thought it was important to help him with it so he can help himself in the future. If you don’t have an education it’s easier to make uneducated decisions like crime.”

The boy said he left school at 10 because his family moved from town to town.

“It did feel a bit weird when I first met Emily. I was a bit nervous but it all came together. It was good,” he said.

“She’s helped me a lot with my reading.”

The boy has recently started a boilermaker apprenticeship, which he said he would not have done without Ms Negrin’s support.

He said meeting Ms Negrin had changed his perspective on property crime.

“I won’t do it again. I see my family and friends doing it and getting into trouble. I just don’t want to be down that path. It’s not right,” he said.

Restorative justice conferencing convener Tertia Orsmond said the Townsville team had facilitated 58 con- ferences since courts began ordering them last July.

“There’s always a bit of nervousness, which is completely normal. We do have some ( victims) who aren’t wanting to ( participate), whether it’s because they’re too traumatised, but we’ve had quite a high level of victim participation,” she said.

“It’s an emotional process and we do have moments where there is a bit of tension, but we never go to conference if we don’t think it’s going to be safe.”

Ms Negrin said she believed the restorative justice program had the ability to change young offenders’ perspectives.

“It’s important that people face up to what’s happened and the harm that they’ve caused,” she said.

“It gives victims a voice and an opportunity to talk to the person, which is what I wanted from the start.”