Victoria’s worst youth offenders to wear ankle monitors from today as trial gets underway

Jacinta Allan’s ambitious plan to enforce tough new measures on youth crime is underway, with authorities to keep an eye on up to 50 serious alleged offenders using electronic ankle devices.

Teenagers on bail will be slapped with electronic bracelets from Tuesday, with authorities to keep an eye on some of the state’s worst youth offenders 24/7 with real-time trackers.

Up to 50 serious alleged youth offenders at a time – aged 14 and 18 – will be ordered to wear the GPS devices around the clock, including while attending government schools, as part of the Victorian-first trial.

Under the trial, alleged young offenders who stray outside of their address after curfew, enter an exclusion zone or tamper with the bracelet will set off an alert.

Youth Justice officers will be notified in real time, and in the case of a serious breaches, will be required to contact Victoria Police to revoke bail.

Authorities will also be alerted to lower level breaches, including the device being on low battery mode.

The Children’s Courts and the Supreme Court will have the power to order teen criminals in metropolitan Melbourne wear the electronic monitoring devices while on bail.

Teenagers on bail will be slapped with electronic bracelets from today in a bid to deter reoffending. Picture: Supplied

They are required to have been aged under 18 years-old at the time of their alleged offending.

Youth Justice Commissioner Andrea Davidson, speaking from Ravenhall Correctional Centre on Tuesday, said scenario testing had been carried out with Victoria Police to ensure the technology worked.

“Police are responding in an immediate sense where there is an immediate risk,” she said.

She said a “thorough assessment” of a young persons situation would determine whether they had the “ability to comply”.

Reasons an alleged youth offender may not be eligible include that they have an intellectual disability or would struggle to comply due to family circumstances.

Alleged youth offenders fitted with the electronic bracelets will be placed in one of 57 “alternative” education settings, and will be able to continue part time and casual jobs.

Ms Davidson said many of the almost 60 in-person and online schools were already providing education to young people on bail, and would recieve extensive support.

Authorities to keep an eye on alleged offenders 24/7 with real-time trackers. Picture: Supplied

It comes after the Herald Sun revealed bureaucrats had attempted to place teenagers with the ankle bracelets in mainstream schools.

The decision was quickly overturned by Education Minister Ben Carroll who admitted the “bureaucrats have got this wrong”.

Attorney-General Sonya Kilkenny, who also visited the prison to kick off the two-year trial, said it would also include “intensive supervision”.

“We’re doing this because we’re … prioritising community safety,” she said.

Deputy Liberal Leader Sam Groth, however, said there were “so many questions that remain unanswered”.

“Are the teachers in these schools going to be trained to deal with these youth offenders?” he said.

“Are other students and the parents of those students going to be notified that there’s going to be youth offenders using ankle bracelets in their children’s classrooms?”

The Herald Sun has sought clarification from the Education Department.

The trial comes after Allan government introduced new bail laws which prioritise community safety. Remand is also no longer considered the last resort for youth offenders.

The tougher bail laws came after the Herald Sun highlighted a series of terrifying home invasions, armed robberies and assaults as part of its Suburbs Under Siege campaign.