In accordance with Advocate, a GPS monitoring gadget might function a “trophy” for criminals
Deputy Police Commissioner Cheryl Scanlon has been appointed Head of the Juvenile Delinquency Task Force. Image: Dan Peled / NCA NewsWire
Hitting GPS tracking devices at young repeat offenders could serve as a trophy for teens and not reduce crime in the Sunshine State, a juvenile attorney warned.
The drastic measure was one of the sweeping reforms proposed by the Palaszczuk government in February after a spate of terrible deaths.
Stricter bail laws and a presumption against bail were also drawn up by Prime Minister Annastacia Palaszczuk, who appointed the state’s former head of counterterrorism to head a task force on juvenile delinquency.
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The tough measures were put in place in state assembly to appease an angry community after a pregnant couple was beaten and killed on Australia Day by a stolen Land Cruiser allegedly driven by a teenage boy.
RELATED: Palaszczuk Shows Response To Juvenile Delinquency Crisis
About 20 advocates of indigenous peoples’ detention and youth justice included the reform suite in the proposed changes in parliament at a public hearing on Monday, insisting that attempting to increase the possibility of detaining young offenders would increase the likelihood of another offense .
The plan to test electronic monitoring devices on high-risk offenders aged 16 and 17 was particularly ridiculed by Amy Wilson, program manager at Inspire Youth and Family Service Inc.
She said a similar scheme was put in place while working in the UK, where teenagers viewed the devices as badges of honor.
“We found that young people were using it as a trophy, which really didn’t help change that narrative,” she told the hearing.
“Young people are unable to regulate themselves emotionally, so they are constantly reacting in this emotional way. So if we tag people and imprison them, it won’t help them learn.”
The Palaszczuk government’s promise to tighten sentences for juvenile offenders proved that there was a misunderstanding of the problem among politicians, said Tammy Lloyd, spokeswoman for Anglicares Children and Family Services.
“The government often speaks of being tough on crime and tough on young offenders as if they were the same,” she told the hearing on Monday.
“It’s not … being tough on crime is addressing the reasons for the insult, not just sending an ambulance to the bottom of the cliff.”
The ongoing debate comes when the new juvenile delinquency chief said young Queenslanders were turning deadly behavior into social media entertainment and inspiring others to do the same.
Deputy Police Commissioner Cheryl Scanlon told NCA NewsWire that one of her biggest frustrations was seeing teenagers sharing recordings of themselves who have committed crimes.
“What they’re doing is committing crimes,” she said.
“It’s dangerous and people lose their lives as a result.
“So it’s a serious problem when people shed light on this or use social media to spread this as a kind of badge of honor that effectively becomes evidence.”
The breakdown of the proposed new rules includes:
- Installation of electronic monitoring devices (GPS trackers) required: As bail for high risk recidivists aged 16-17
- Create a bail presumption: For juvenile offenders arrested on bail for other serious criminal acts (such as breaking and trampling, serious sexual assault, and armed robbery)
- Obtain assurance from parents and guardians that bail conditions are met before an offender is released
- Strengthening Existing Bail Acts: The Youth Justice Act will be amended to include a statement in the Charter of Principles of Youth Justice that the community is protected from recidivist juvenile offenders
State political reporter
Sydney
James Hall is a seasoned reporter who has worked in the online and print sectors in Sydney, Adelaide and Canberra, as well as short-featured in Cambodia and Indonesia. He is the Queensland State Political Reporter with … Read more
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