HOW KID CRIM’S BREAKING CYCLE

AS a child living on the streets, breaking into houses, stealing cars and sniffing deodorant, Christopher was headed for a life as a career criminal with no future.

At just seven years old, the indigenous child went to the streets because he was being neglected by his parents.

It was there he made friends with kids involved in crime. He was chroming at age seven and broke into his first house at just 11.

Christopher, whose real identity cannot be released, knows what it’s like to run from police, to spend a night in the cells at Cleveland Youth Detention Centre.

“I was only 11 years old, break- ing into houses, stealing cars, shoplifting,” Christopher said.

“I would go to school and after school go to the store and shoplift cans of Rexona and just go sniff.

“I’ve been to Cleveland and it’s a bad place to be.”

But Christopher, now turning his life around.

He realised he was slipping into a life of crime, unemployment and misery so he decided to grab his second chance with both hands.

In 2015, while out on bail, Christopher turned his back on crime and embraced the help available to him through youth workers.

In January 2017, Christopher became a father at 15. He is the sole parent for his one- year- old son and is focused on providing him with a better life.

He’s managed to reconnect with his mother and create a positive relationship. 16, is

“I can’t stand crime any more,” he said.

“I don’t have time for kids who do crime any more … they have that same old miserable life and I don’t want that life any more.

“I want to do what’s best for my son, myself and my mother.”

For the past nine months, Christopher has been a participant in the Queensland Government’s Transition 2 Success program, an alternative education and vocational training program aimed at improving outcomes for young people in the youth justice system.

“I’ve got support from the program and the youth workers,” Christopher said. “I’ve learned about what I need to do to get a job, get the best out of my life and do what is best for my family.

“I want to get an apprenticeship as a carpenter. I’d like to build houses.”

Christopher is also involved in sport and is a talented rugby league player. He dreams of playing professionally and has a longterm goal of owning a station in the country.

Christopher knows many kids with similar backgrounds to his own will never change their ways.

“I don’t know what people can do about it because it’s how they want to live … they want to be against the law,” he said.

The Transition 2 Success program has been operating in Townsville since May 2016, working with 41 young people.

“It looks at giving young people an opportunity to participate in vocational education,” senior transitions officer Troy Buchannan said.

“We assist with addressing their offending, income support and other issues such as drugs and alcohol.”