The LNP has today outlined a path to reform Queensland’s youth detention program, stopping the youth detention system becoming a merry-go-round for the growing cohort of serious repeat youth offenders.
Detention with Purpose will restore discipline and rehabilitation as the cornerstones of detention to ensure kids don’t fall behind in education and have the best chance of a positive future.
Queensland has one of the highest rate of recidivism in Australia, last year 972 youth criminals were sentenced to youth detention with 447 of those sentenced to more than one stint of detention.
Under the LNP’s plan, detention would have a laser-like focus on rehabilitation, with education to become compulsory, a zero tolerance approach to violence and clear consequences for both good and bad behaviour.
Privileges including TV, computers, games or social time would need to be maintained with good behaviour.
Similarly, violent behaviour will have real consequences with a minimum period in isolation, to be determined in consultation with experts. Currently when a youth is violent they are returned from separation as soon as they have deescalated, even if it is within several minutes, leaving no consequence for the behaviour.
Detention with Purpose is the final plank of the LNP’s Making Our Community Safer Plan to restore safety where you live and will work alongside Staying on Track, a 12-month intensive post detention rehabilitation to bridge the gap from detention to community.
LNP Leader David Crisafulli said Detention with Purpose would help reduce skyrocketing youth recidivism by rehabilitating kids during detention.
“The LNP’s Detention with Purpose will ensure detention is not only about getting dangerous offenders off the street for community safety but also delivers intensive rehabilitation while they’re serving their sentence,” Mr Crisafulli said.
“Youth detention shouldn’t breed better criminals, it should be a path to rehabilitation.
“The LNP will restore consequences for action inside our detention centres, to teach young people reward for good behaviour and penalty for bad behaviour.
“Discipline, purpose and consequences for action will be the focus. Education will be compulsory with an end to the ‘opt out’ attitude and youth will have to maintain good behaviour to have access to privileges like TV.
“The State Government is the parent for kids in detention and they’re the worst parent of all, they’re not teaching kids discipline, they’re not teaching kids about reward for effort, they’re not giving kids the tools to be functional members of our community.
“Education failures in detention are leaving kids further behind, with fewer opportunities for employment and an increased risk of reoffending.
“Under Labor, kids are spending just a couple of hours in schooling a week, and that’s only the ones who agree to attend, with many others opting out entirely.
“We must put an end to the detention merry-go-round by making detention an opportunity for rehabilitation.
“The LNP will restore safety where you live with Detention with Purpose, Adult Crime, Adult Time and Gold Standard Early Intervention.
“Only the LNP will reform detention to stop the youth offender cycle and make our community safer.
“We will deliver a Fresh Start for Queensland.”
