Youth home rings alarm
A NEW youth care home proposed for a tight-knit Townsville suburb is raising concerns but police have assured the community there will be no increase in crime.
The juvenile home at Bushland Beach, to be run by Integrated Family and Youth Service, has sparked controversy among residents, with Hinchinbrook MP Nick Dametto saying he was cautious about what it meant for his division.
However, Deeragun police officer-in-charge Senior Sergeant Brett Humphries said there was no evidence of increased crime in the areas surrounding a youth home.
The residential home, which is not a “bail house”, would be among 22 of its kind across the state under the IFYS banner. There are 34 youth homes in Townsville.
IFYS executive manager Deejay Wagner said the home, which would be rented for 12 months, would give children the opportunity to move forward with their lives.
He said juveniles of varying ages could stay at the home for as long as they needed the facility.
Carers would live at the home to provide the children with “adequate care and support”.
However, Mr Dametto said he was “extremely concerned” about the potential impact the home could have on residents.
Carers have previously told the Townsville Bulletin they had no control over juveniles in care, who were able to leave the home at any time.
Residents have been passionate about stemming the juvenile crime crisis, which eventually led to the State Government’s backflip on amendments made to the Youth Justice Act in December.
Mr Wagner said plans for the home were pushed back amid the COVID-19 pandemic but expected it would be up and running in a matter of weeks.
Sen-sgt Humphries, who was unaware of the new home, expected there to be no increase in crime.
He said there were multiple youth care homes scattered throughout his police division and it was rare to be called to a problem at any of the facilities.
Sen-sgt Humphries acknowledged that children could leave houses as they pleased but said carers always tried to accompany them when possible and police were never far away if needed.
He said officers often went out of their way to check on the children living at the care homes in their divisions.