Community calls meeting to combat youth crime in Goonellabah
What begun as a ‘fed up’ moment for a retired cop has snowballed into a community demanding action on youth crime and violence. Here is what happened.
Regional News
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A North Coast community who say they are terrorised by children as young as 10 has reached breaking point over increased break and enters, stealing, assaults and damaging property.
More than 300 residents, state and federal members, elders, and councillors from neighbouring towns attended a community meeting to discuss the spike in youth crime and violence at the Goonellabah sports club on Sunday.
Organiser and retired police officer Andre Elis said the forum was to air concerns about the recent spike in juvenile crime and discuss crime prevention solutions.
Local elders and residents filled two meeting rooms to share harrowing tales of assaults, break and enters, brazen thefts and anti-social behaviour that has “kids out of control” and a community on edge.
Legislation
Much of the blame fell on parents, housing commission occupants, drugs, lack of police and a weak judiciary.
Mr Els said a change in legislation to allow the detention of youths was a must before someone is “bashed or killed”.
He said “problem people” need to be taken off the streets, relocated or locked up, while the
Housing Commission was “totally overlooking” its three strike policy.
State member for Lismore Janelle Saffin said Under the Parental Responsibility Act, police had the power to take children off the streets but they need somewhere to take them – and this is not happening.
She said police curfews were also not being enforced.
One Goonellabah man said police needed powers to detain youths and laws to hold parents accountable for their children’s actions because identifying them on CCTV was not stopping crime.
Federal member for Page Kevin Hogan said youths caught offending get up to eight chances before they are charged and, although this may benefit a “normal” teenager who has been naughty, it was not working for kids from deprived and disadvantaged backgrounds.
“Taking them off the street is doing them a favour,” Mr Hogan said.
“The way we are treating them through the judiciary, and the police … we are teaching them nothing.”
Kid’s out of control
Some parents have reported their own children sneaking out to commit crimes as a “game” or “competition”.
“Police are picking them up after they’ve been stealing cars and breaking into homes – then they jump out their bedroom window the same night doing it all over again,” Mr Els said.
The meeting heard a grandmother was accosted by her own grandchildren, and elderly residents were targeted for living alone.
A former detective sergeant was unable to walk for six weeks after fighting off four Aboriginal youths while a young father had bricks and projectiles thrown at his house for chasing a teen in a balaclava out of his bedroom.
One mother said not all parents were to blame and it was at the discretion of police to charge these children.
“There are parents trying to stop their kids,” she said.
She said a community effort was needed, not finger pointing.
“When the police refused to charge my son for breaking and entering, I actually marched him into that shop,” she said.
One Goonellabah resident said she couldn’t sleep even with security cameras at her home.
“I’m just sick about feeling unsafe,” she said.
Jail “doesn’t work”
Ms Saffin said she was working with police and her political colleagues to stop the cycle of recidivism through intervention programs like Justice reinvestment.
Aunty Jenny Smith said jail doesn’t work for young men and “hard love” was needed no matter what colour they are.
The idea of an isolated working farm where youths could learn respect, how to earn a living, and be mentored by positive role models was applauded.
More community meetings are being planned for Ballina, Byron Bay, Coraki and Lismore.
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