Youth crime Qld: LNP pledges schools for at-risk offenders

Two youth justice schools aimed at keeping at-risk teen youth off the streets could open in Queensland if the LNP win government next month. But Premier Steven Miles says it will amount to a cut in education support for repeat offenders.

The existing Arcadia College at Robina on the Gold Coast

Two youth justice schools aimed at keeping at-risk teen offenders off the streets could open in Queensland if the LNP win government next month.

Opposition Leader David Crisafulli will on Monday announce a $40m plan to introduce the two schools.

But Premier Steven Miles claimed the policy would actually amount to a cut of flexible learning spaces already operating in Queensland.

Ohana For Youth – a not-for-profit aimed at reconnecting teenagers with education and employment – has been selected to open two schools in South East Queensland and North Queensland.

The organisation already run Arcadia College on the Gold Coast and Ohana College at Logan which advertise themselves as “safe, inclusive and future-focused” educational programs.

The new schools will work with high-risk teen offenders on youth justice orders such as community service orders, police cautions, diversions or bail.

Mr Crisafulli said the schools would help divert young lives away from crime and stop them becoming serious repeat offenders, which was putting Queenslanders at risk.

“The LNP’s youth justice schools will mean fewer serious repeat offenders and fewer victims of crime across our state, by diverting young people away from crime and getting them back on track,” Mr Crisafulli said.

“With personalised support both for the teens and their family, we can shepherd these kids to a better future, away from crime, while also making our community safer.

“These children need discipline, support, education, and structure, which is exactly what the LNP will provide through the youth justice schools.”

Opposition Leader David Crisafulli with youth justice spokeswoman Laura Gerber

The schools will aim to deliver highly specialised behavioural reform with individual dedicated case management, one-on-one mentoring, family support and parental coaching with more than 12 hours of daily supervision, five days a week.

Opposition spokeswoman for youth justice Laura Gerber said the schools were part of the LNP’s plan to end Queensland’s youth crime crisis.

“We must end Labor’s youth crime crisis by diverting youth offenders early and stopping the slide into crime that’s putting our communities at risk,” Ms Gerber said.

“Currently, Queensland has no dedicated youth justice education facilities, where kids can get the support they need, before they become hardened by repeat criminal activity.

“Without these youth justice schools, teens have less chance of getting the education needed to hold down future jobs and be productive members of the community.

She said the LNP had a plan to divert youth offenders and restore the safety of Queenslanders.

“Only the LNP has the right plan for Queensland’s future, including making our community safer,” she said.

Speaking to the media in Brisbane on Monday, Mr Miles said the LNP’s plan copied the more than 50 flexible learning spaces already operating in Queensland schools.

“They do a fantastic job,” he said.

“We announced this year that we would build another 25 so by the LNP announcing that they’ll only build two, you’ve got to assume that means they intend to cut 23 of the 25 that we’ve already announced.”

The state’s FlexiSpaces allow students struggling to stay engaged with education to continue attending school with the aim of getting them back into their mainstream class.

“Because when it comes to early intervention, you can’t intervene early enough,” Mr Miles said.

“You look at a serious repeat offender, and think we should have intervened when they started offending and then you look at an early offender and you think we should have intervened when they disengage from school.

“That’s what these schools are all about. They’re doing a great job.”

The number of repeat offenders reported by the Department of Youth Justice has increased by 65 per cent from 442 in 2018-19 to 728 in 2022-23.

In July, Mr Crisafulli announced young criminals committing serious crimes would be slapped with adult sentences to act as a deterrent – reducing the number of children needing to be locked up in the state’s already overcrowded youth prisons.

Originally published as Youth crime Qld: LNP pledges schools for at-risk offenders