Victims of Crime Mackay’ founder Carolyn Quabba pleads for boot camps

A Mackay anti-crime activist says it’s time for young criminals to face the prospect of boot camps in an effort to drive down juvenile offending across Queensland.

Victims of Crime Mackay group founder Carolyn Quabba was there to be changes to how juvenile offenders are dealt with by the courts. Picture:Michaela Harlow

The victim of a disturbing attack has used her trauma as a driving force to push for changes to how juvenile offenders are dealt with in a bid to curb youth crime.

Her story can be revealed as Queensland Newscorp editors join forces with a message for politicians, on behalf of our communities, about the youth crime epidemic.

Bucasia woman Carolyn Quabba was asleep in her home in April, 2021 when a young man entered her property and assaulted her.

“It was disturbing … it shook me up badly,” she said, adding she had to take two weeks off work.

“It made me very anxious. I didn’t feel comfortable leaving the house … it took a while to get over it but talking about it helped.”

Victims of Crime Mackay Facebook page founder Carolyn Quabba is speaking out about youth crime. Picture: Heidi Petith

As a result Ms Quabba created the Victims of Crime Mackay Facebook group as a safe space for others to share their horror stories and fight for change.

Now she is piecing together a submission to address the youth crime scourge in the hope it will prevent others from being victimised while helping stem recidivism.

Ms Quabba, who also started a petition signed by 2776 for this same cause, wants to change how the courts deal with first and second time offenders.

“If the state could stop 20 per cent to 30 per cent of youths from committing crime or reoffending again, isn’t that an improvement?” she said.

Victims of Crime Mackay group founder Carolyn Quabba was there to be changes to how juvenile offenders are dealt with by the courts. Picture: Michaela Harlow

The submission proposes first time offenders be warned if they appeared in court again they would be sent off to a “justice camp” or Veterans Mentor-style camp.

“To try to get those guys to turn them around before they get into the system,” Ms Quabba said, adding offenders were “getting as young as nine, 10, 11 and 12 at the moment”.

“Some of them are probably just being silly little boys (or girls).”

Ms Quabba said the idea was to “get them out of that mentality now” in the hopes it would stop them reoffending into adulthood.

Mirani MP Stephen Andrew agreed there needed to be more intervention at an earlier stage before juvenile offenders were caught in the grip of the crime cycle.

Mirani MP Stephen Andrew speaks at a victim of crime rally at Bluewater Quay in October, 2021. Picture: Heidi Petith

“I’ve got people calling me daily about crime,” Mr Andrew said.

“In Sarina the other night … young fellas running around with baseball bats 1am … sharp objects, sticks.

“It’s out of control. Everyone’s so frightened, they can’t walk down the street.

“They don’t know when they’re’ going to be accosted, confronted by young teenagers in groups.”

Mr Andrew said the problem was spread right across the Mackay region from the streets to the cane paddocks.

Some crimes linked to young offenders end in tragedy.

Bailey Pini died after a car was stolen and it crashed.

Bailey Pini, 13, was living in a government-run group home in the Mackay region when he and another boy stole their carer‘s car and drove it north to Bowen.

Tragically the vehicle crashed and burst into flames at the intersection of Queens Rd and King St about 6.45am on June 9, 2021.

Tiege Close, who had also been involved in the youth justice system, was aged 20 when he died after the stolen blue ASX wagon he was driving crashed head-on with a B-double at Bloomsbury about 6.05pm.

Mr Andrew said another state-run residential home in the Mackay region had to be shut down over clashes within the community.

Tiege Close, 20, died when the stolen vehicle he was driving collided with a B-Double on the Bruce Highway at Bloomsbury.

He said the home of an older woman was broken into at night, with her jewellery and personal belongings stolen.

“It just keeps going on and on … it gets to the stage where people in the actual community become almost vigilante,” he said.

Ms Quabba is calling for help on her submission, which she said pointed out a problem, gave a solution and highlighted how to fund the proposal.

“It’s only going to get worse and escalate and it has done in the past 12 months,” she said.

“We want to target them when they’re young.

“Sometimes at nine and 10 we might have a chance at turning them around.”