Youth offender GPS trial begins as part of crackdown on juvenile crime

Juvenile offenders released on bail can now be fitted with a GPS tracker under a new trial as part of a youth crime crackdown, but none of them can be forced to wear one.

Juvenile offenders released on bail can now be fitted with a GPS tracker under a new trial as part of a youth crime crackdown, but none of them can be forced to wear one, police say.

Queensland Police have officially launched the 12-month trial to allow authorities to fit GPS tracking devices, with Assistant Commissioner Cheryl Scanlon today stating the ability to fit recidivous teenage offenders will rely heavily on their willingness to wear one.

If a young offender refuses to wear a monitoring device, however, Assistant Commissioner Scanlon said there would be several other options available to the court to impose as a requirement of bail.

It is also possible bail may be refused if in the instance a teen was deemed suitable for a GPS tracker however chose not to wear one.

The trial, which could see a small percentage of repeat 16- and 17-year-old offenders fitted with the trackers, is just one of 77 recommendations made by former Police Commissioner Bob Atkinson, with the goal of halving the number of children entering detention for the first time.

Teens will still be able to opt out of wearing a GOS tracking device as part of the trial.

“Today we move forward with that option being available to courts to manage some of our recidivist youth offenders, specifically those aged within the 16 or 17 year old age group,” Assistant Commissioner Scanlon said.

Asst Com Scanlon said although authorities would not be able to force juveniles to wear the bracelets, it remained a useful tool in assisting them to reduce their offending.

“There are going to be some young people who say: ‘I’m not interested, I don’t want to wear a device,’ and in that case it’s not going to be an option potentially, she said.

“We can’t force young people to do this.

“But the reality is if a person is found to be suitable, it may be an option that person can be managed in the community rather than being in detention.”

She said GPS trackers are “not the panacea,” but instead a useful tool in a variety of options to reduce youth crime.

Former Police Commissioner Bob Atkinson. (AAP Image/Attila Csaszar)

“If the person is found to be suitable, it may be an option that that young person can be managed in the community rather than being in detention,” she said.

“And that’s what this is about.

“It’s another option to manage young people outside of detention.

“(It’s) really important to work with these young people to give them the opportunity not to be in custody if they are suitable and managed in another way.

“It’s another tool in the tool kit to the options that could be available to the court.”

GPS trackers will be monitored around the clock by Queensland Corrective Services staff, who will engage the help of the QPS and co responder teams if necessary.

Senior executive director of youth detention, operation and reform at the Department of Children and Youth Justice, Michael Drane said the multi agency work would be crucial in ensuring the trial's success.

"That work is critical because the work of those co responder teams is about ensuring meaningful and timely intervention, usually at points when young people are contemplating offending in the early hours of the mornings, weekends and at all hours," Mr Drane said.

"Those interventions are effective because it works to connect teens to the services they require... to ensure they don't commit offences."

Other tools recently brought in as part of the new reform include the introduction of the reverse presumption of bail, which was creating a presumption against bail for youth offenders arrested for committing further serious offences whilst on bail.

Assistant Commissioner Scanlon said 42 juvenile offenders have been arrested since April 30 in Townsville alone.

Of those offenders three were in a “show cause” position and are now in custody, while 11 have been remanded in custody because of objections to bail by police as a result of the introduction of new youth justice reforms.

Assistant Commissioner Scanlon said engagement with parents will be critical across the long term in minimising repeat offending of juveniles, while new anti hooning legislation will also hold the registered owner of a vehicle responsible for hooning behaviour, unless the vehicle was reported as stolen.