Be candid on justice for youths
SOLVING the complex challenges plaguing Queensland’s youth justice system was never going to be simple.
Neither side of politics would say there was a “quick fix” to combating intergenerational socio- economic problems, identifying and fixing gaps in the justice support system and breaking the ingrained cycle of recidivism.
The current State Government has shown it is willing to try new and innovative approaches to tackling crime in Townsville including outreach programs, bail houses, appointing a “community champion” and bolstering resources.
The LNP has been quick to condemn many of these policies and with the costs involved in establishing some of the plans, the community is right to question if they’re effective.
But we also have to be patient. It will take time to see the long- term effects of early intervention programs designed to keep children in school and out of trouble. However that does not mean people should have to put up with feeling unsafe in their own homes in the interim.
With Townsville in the midst of a crime wave — there have been 112 break- ins and 34 cars stolen in the past seven days — the Government can’t deny there are still serious issues to address. Even if some of the young people allegedly connected to this spate of crime are taken into custody, police then face the problem of having nowhere to put them.
As the Bulletin has reported, Cleveland Youth Detention Centre is over capacity and police have been advised to use their discretion to divert alleged juvenile offenders away from prison if safe to do so.
Police Minister Mark Ryan called the suggestion that cops had been told not to put offenders behind bars “nonsense”.
It has never been suggested police would choose to put the community at risk in any way, but frustrations at the current status quo is clearly at fever pitch.
The community deserves a better response from the Government. We know more beds are being built at Cleveland and more cops are supposedly on the way to Townsville but as the community waits for these solutions, the least they’re owed is some open and frank communication from elected officials.