Youth Detention Centre’s shocking re-offending rate revealed

New statistics have revealed the alarming reoffending rate by inmates at a youth detention centre in Townsville. See the timeline of events here.

New government statistics show the vast majority of youth are reoffending within a year of leaving detention, fuelling the Katter’s Australian Party’s push for relocation sentencing.

Statistics revealed by Children, Youth Justice and Multicultural Affairs Minister Leanne Linard, as part of a response to a question on notice from Hinchinbrook MP Nick Dametto stated that nearly all of the 322 youths interred in CYDC over a 12 month period committed an offence within a year of leaving the complex.

“In the 12-month period ending 31 March 2021, there were 322 distinct young people who completed a custody stay at the Cleveland Youth Detention Centre,” Ms Linard said.

“Of those young people, 95 per cent were alleged to have committed another offence in the 12 months following their release.”

A number of young repeat offenders from North Queensland have continued to commit crimes as adults.

In 2014, the reoffending rate for kids at Cleveland was 81 per cent.

Ms Linard added that there was a decrease in the number of youth-aged offenders in recent years.

Queensland Minister for Children and Youth Justice Leanne Linard. Picture: Brendan Radke

“In the North and Far North Queensland regions, in the 12-month period ending 31 March 2019, compared to the 12-month period ending 31 March 2022, there has been a 25 per cent decrease in the number of young offenders aged 10-17,” Ms Linard said.

According to a recent Question on Notice asked of Children’s Minister Leanne Linard in June, 372 young people were identified as serious repeat offenders as of December 31 last year.

This was a 22 per cent increase compared the 344 juveniles who were identified as being in the top 10 per cent of repeat offenders in 2021.

Mr Dametto labelled the government’s response a failure and called for them to reconsider the Katter Party’s proposals on youth crime.

“The Labor Government touts the Lincoln Springs Boot Camp as a failure, where there was a reoffending rate of 40 per cent, this has been the data constantly wheeled out by the Minister to deny Queenslanders a trial of the KAP’s relocation sentencing policy,” Mr Dametto said.

“The figures show the State Government’s approach to youth crime has failed, there may be less individual youths offending, but this cohort of hard nut recidivist offenders are clearly not being rehabilitated.

Member for Hinchinbrook Nick Dametto. Picture: Shae Beplate.

“I must remind people these kids are not being locked up for stealing a packet of chips from the local servo, they are the ones responsible for Townsville’s break and enters and record numbers of stolen vehicles.”

In 2015, former Attorney-General Yvette D’Ath told Estimates that boot camps did not break the cycle of reoffending, and reoffending rates were no different to offenders in areas such as youth detention centres.

Mr Dametto said the figures showed the situation demanded an ‘emergency response’ from the government.

“Youth offenders must face consequences for their crimes and it seems that the State Government is fresh out of ideas that effectively curb youth crime,” Mr Dametto said.

“These latest figures give the Minister nowhere to hide. We’ve hit crisis point and everything should be on the table for discussion.”

Minister Linard said that Assistant Police Commissioner Cheryl Scanlon was appointed to lead a stand-alone Youth Justice Task force, to oversee reforms focused on serious repeat offenders.

Originally published as Youth Detention Centre’s shocking re-offending rate revealed