Tough Love Plan To Detain And Rehabilitate Youths
Violent youth offenders belong in jail.
That’s what Adult Time for Violent Crime is all about.
But we also need to stop lower-level offenders before they spiral into violent crime.
Right now, too many get a slap on the wrist or spend very short stints in detention – not enough time to address their behaviour.
They shouldn’t get to walk away from the help they clearly need.
Under a re-elected Carroll Labor Government, it won’t be a choice.
Labor will introduce youth rehabilitation detention
Jail time in youth detention already exists for serious youth crime, but there’s no strong option underneath it for lower-level offending.
The main alternative is being supervised out in the community.
The courts need something stronger.
Under Labor’s plan, low and mid-level youth offenders would be sentenced to youth rehabilitation detention as part of a new Mandatory Therapeutic Order.
They would be removed from the community for up to 12 months and be held 24/7 in a secure residential youth justice facility, including at Malmsbury.
While in detention, they would be required to undertake:
• Intensive education to get their learning back on track
• Mandatory drug and alcohol treatment
• Mental health support to tackle underlying issues
• Practical life skills including cooking, cleaning and budgeting
This is not voluntary – it’s a court order.
Breach it and you can be re-sentenced to youth detention – a tougher penalty.
This is a $204 million investment and an Australian-first.
It will start with almost 500 places for youth offenders over two years, and scale up.
The program will target young offenders involved in theft, vandalism, property damage and minor assaults, including those with drug, alcohol or mental health issues.
Legislative change will create the regime, outline the offences for which this sentence is the most appropriate, and the factors that must be considered by the courts.
Why it’s needed
Labor is delivering serious consequences for the most serious crimes – and it's working.
Crime is falling, bail refusals are rising, and the worst youth offenders are being jailed.
But police, experts and the community know it’s not just about the worst offenders.
Lower-level youth offenders must face serious consequences, too.
And we must give them the education and treatment they need to change their ways.
We can’t let today’s vandals and thieves become tomorrow’s violent youths.
The system needs a circuit breaker.
Quotes attributable to Premier Ben Carroll
“This is tough love.”
“We won't give up on young people, but we won't give them a free pass either.”
“Parents ask for this. They know kids at risk of re-offending won’t get better on the streets. They need rehabilitation – and it shouldn’t be a choice.”
Quotes attributable to Minister for Police Paul Edbrooke
“We’ve introduced Adult Time for Violent Crime for the worst violent offenders. But we also need to stop low-level offenders before they spiral.”
Quotes attributable to Minister for Youth Justice Ros Spence
“Courts need another option to deal with low and mid-level youth offending.”
