Cost of rampaging teen offenders in youth justice skyrockets
THE cost of rampaging teenagers in Victorian youth justice centres is skyrocketing with the latest damage bill hitting almost $3.3 million and expected to rise.
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THE cost of rampaging teenagers in Victorian youth justice centres is skyrocketing with the latest damage bill hitting almost $3.3 million and expected to rise.
The growing cost to Victorian taxpayers was revealed by Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Kym Peake in a parliamentary inquiry today and has risen more than $1.1 million from damage estimates released to the Herald Sun in January.
A Government spokesman confirmed the latest costing included up to $1 million in damage caused on November 12, when youths ransacked units in Parkville, destroying walls and beds.
However, it does not include costs from the Malmsbury incident last month when dozens of teens rampaged through the facility, escaped, hijacked cars and went on a Melbourne crime wave.
It also does not include incidents at the maximum security youth Grevillea unit in Barwon this year.
Up to 40 security response members entered the Barwon facility when 20 teens rioted this week.
One male staff member received facial injuries and investigations into the disturbance is ongoing.
Ms Peake said during last financial year Parkville riots caused $1.74 million in damage and there was $636,000 in costs at the centre in Malmsbury.
Her appearance before the panel comes as the State Government are facing increasing pressure from the community in Melbourne’s west to backtrack on a proposed new $288 million youth detention centre to be built in Werribee.
Thousands of locals took to the streets on Monday night to protest.
One protester held up a toilet seat with a sign attached saying: “Daniel Andrews take note ... this is the only seat you’ll be getting at the next election”.
Residents are also turning their anger toward local member and Treasurer Tim Pallas.
Ms Peake told the inquiry the state government began vetting potential sites for the new youth justice centre in November last year before announcing the preferred location last week.
An undisclosed number of sites were looked at, but Ms Peake said the new centre must be near Melbourne’s CBD because under legislation there must be access to services, public transport and easy access to the Children’s Court.
She said sites that were currently unoccupied were desirable to allow “accelerated development”.
Opposition spokeswoman Georgie Crozier said the costs of Victoria’s youth justice crisis was astounding.
“Enough is enough. Daniel Andrews can’t keep protecting Minister Jenny Mikakos any more just because she’s his mate.”