Youth Justice - QLD
In 2012 48% of juveniles in custody were Aboriginal. This means that the Qld government’s proposed changes to the youth justice legislation will effect many Aboriginal youth. “The government’s proposed boot camp approach is more likely to increase the criminalisation of young offenders rather than reduce it.”
Research consistently shows that prisons are ineffective in rehabilitating offenders and preventing re-offending. Imprisonment is therefore a poor use of public money – and prisons are costly. Studies indicate that youth detention is a pathway to adult offending as 30% of adult offenders were first incarcerated in the youth system.
“Cost-effective interventions that leverage the strengths of families and communities to reform troubled youths are critical to a successful juvenile justice system. Youths who “slip through the cracks” may remain in the criminal justice system throughout their lives even though some could have been saved by effective policies during pivotal developmental stages.” The “Conservative Solution” includes improved flexibility in funding, so funds currently used to keep young people in large state youth jails can be used for less costly community-based programs which are supported by research.
Texas [USA]; The Conservative case for reform: Fighting Crime, Prioritizing Victims, and Protecting Taxpayers:
The most effective approach to reduce offending and avoiding people being victims of youth crime would be to reduce the likelihood of a child or young person ever developing anti-social or offending behaviour patterns by early intervention and prevention strategies such as: supporting families who are struggling providing parents with support and parenting programs from the early years into adolescence supporting the development of good oral language and social skills responding more appropriately where young people are the victims of abuse and neglect.
For those already in the system, providing therapeutic support, developing
Research consistently shows that prisons are ineffective in rehabilitating offenders and preventing re-offending. Imprisonment is therefore a poor use of public money – and prisons are costly. Studies indicate that youth detention is a pathway to adult offending as 30% of adult offenders were first incarcerated in the youth system.
“Cost-effective interventions that leverage the strengths of families and communities to reform troubled youths are critical to a successful juvenile justice system. Youths who “slip through the cracks” may remain in the criminal justice system throughout their lives even though some could have been saved by effective policies during pivotal developmental stages.” The “Conservative Solution” includes improved flexibility in funding, so funds currently used to keep young people in large state youth jails can be used for less costly community-based programs which are supported by research.
Texas [USA]; The Conservative case for reform: Fighting Crime, Prioritizing Victims, and Protecting Taxpayers:
The most effective approach to reduce offending and avoiding people being victims of youth crime would be to reduce the likelihood of a child or young person ever developing anti-social or offending behaviour patterns by early intervention and prevention strategies such as: supporting families who are struggling providing parents with support and parenting programs from the early years into adolescence supporting the development of good oral language and social skills responding more appropriately where young people are the victims of abuse and neglect.
For those already in the system, providing therapeutic support, developing