Vicious youths on parole to be tracked using electronic monitoring under new Victorian laws
YOUTH parolees with violent criminal histories will be electronically tracked and face mandatory drug and alcohol testing under tough new crackdown.
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THE state’s most vicious young criminals will be tracked using electronic bracelets after being freed on parole in a bid to keep Victorians safe.
The unprecedented crackdown on youth offenders will be introduced to parliament by the Andrews Government later this year, and will apply to dangerous thugs aged 16 and above. Bracelets will be slapped on serious offenders who have committed aggravated burglaries and carjackings, at the discretion of the Youth Parole Board.
The move will ensure offenders comply with parole conditions including curfews and geographical bans.
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Mandatory alcohol and drug testing will also be introduced for offenders who have a history of being under the influence when carrying out their heinous crimes.
It is understood the historic reforms are aimed at a small but extremely violent group of Victorian youths involved in recent high-profile cases.
This includes members of the notorious Apex gang who pose ongoing risks, violent youths involved in aggravated home burglaries, carjackings and Airbnb brawls.
Teens convicted of rape and serious assault will also be hit with the new technology.
The move is a Victorian-first and will help keep the community safe, according to Minister for Families and Children Jenny Mikakos.
“This is part of our record investment to keep our community safe and hold young offenders to account,’’ she said.
“Electronic monitoring will be a continuous reminder to some of our most serious young parolees to comply with their orders.
“Alcohol and drug tests for young offenders with a history of substance abuse will help prevent reoffending.”
It is understood between 20 and 30 offenders will participate in the initial trial.
Victoria Police are expected to welcome the program after raising concerns about not being made aware teen thugs were back on Victorian streets earlier this year.
The Andrews Government has committed $2.1 million to set up the program, which will be expanded if successful at reducing crime.
The idea of extending Victoria’s electronic monitoring program to include violent teens first emerged in 2016, but there was no resources to roll it out in the youth justice space.
It has since been pursued behind the scenes as a more violent generation of criminals emerged.
Violence has been increasing on Victorian streets as well as inside Youth Justice centres, with experts warning some children are now progressing to serious offences sooner.
It comes as the a new $288 million youth prison is being built in Melbourne’s west at Cherry Creek.
The new supermax-for-kids will include 224 beds, a 12-bed mental health unit, an intensive supervision unit and will be opened in 2020.
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