KIDS’ CRIME TAKES TOLL

KIDDIE criminals in Townsville combine to average more than five charged offences each day, the bulk of which concern the theft or damage of innocent people’s property.

Youth crime in the capital of the North has been on a rollercoaster since a deplorable twoyear stretch in 2015-16 saw the city labelled “Crimsville” – since then radical policy changes have seen the scourge rise and fall.

Data released from the Department of Child Safety, Youth and Women show Townsville’s youth crime epidemic peaked in 2016 when 1966 offences were committed by children aged 10-16.

In response, the newly elected Labor Government introduced a plethora of initiatives involving several departments, agencies and community groups with a goal of breaking the youth crime cycle and improving community safety.

Child Safety, Youth and Women Minister Di Farmer said these included the Townsville Stronger Communities Action Group, Project Booyah, Transition 2 Success, The Lighthouse, intensive case management, the High Risk Youth Court, and cultural mentoring.

Many of these programs focused on addressing the “root cause” of crime, and figures showed a significant decline in crime in 2017 with 310 fewer offences recorded by kids on Townsville streets than the previous year.

About two-thirds of all youth offending is property crime.

Thuringowa MP Aaron Harper said it was important to be “tough” not only on crime, but the reasons behind it, including problems in homes, a disconnect from education as well as drug and alcohol abuse.

“Where we can, we work with young people to help them stop offending in the first place or offending again,” Mr Harper said.

“There’s already been some successes in this approach – we’ve seen young people turning their lives around and breaking the cycle of crime.

“Crime rates have come down. But until the Townsville community not only is safe but also feels safe, there is more work to do.”

However, the introduction of 17-year-olds into the youth justice system last year resulted in another resurgence, with 1897 offences recorded (1687 offences would have been recorded had 17-yearolds remained in the adult justice system).

LNP Shadow Attorney-general David Janetzki said the Government was ill-prepared to deal with the change.

“Labor has lost control of crime and nowhere is it felt more by a community than in Townsville,” Mr Janetzki said.

“Labor’s failure to plan for enough youth detention beds while simultaneously moving 17year-olds out of adult prisons has been a disaster.

“Children as young as 10 are being held in police watch-houses – some locked up for 43 days at a time.

“Kids locked in police watchhouses is the brutal and barbaric reality of Labor’s failure to manage our youth justice system.”