Youth crime crackdown won’t work without tackling Territory’s ‘phenomenal’ grog problem, peak body says

The NT Government‘s crackdown on youth crime won’t achieve anything if it doesn’t do more to address the “phenomenal” levels of alcohol abuse in the NT, the sector’s peak body has warned.

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THE Territory Government‘s crackdown on youth crime won’t achieve anything if it doesn’t do more to address the “phenomenal” levels of alcohol abuse in the NT, the sector’s peak body has warned.

In its alcohol and other drugs youth project report, the Association of Alcohol and other Drug Agencies NT highlighted what it said was a lack of AOD services in Don Dale and the need for a 24/7 drop in centre in Darwin.

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The report found the majority of youths receiving treatment for substance issues came into contact with the justice system due to petty crimes committed while under the influence.

AADANT executive officer Peter Burnheim said ongoing high levels of youth crime were inevitable unless more was done to break the Territory’s intergenerational cycle of addiction.

“It really does come down to a much bigger issue that the rates of drug and alcohol use in the NT and problematic alcohol use in particular are phenomenal and I think the fact that it’s not considered some sort of national emergency is quite baffling,” he said.

“We’re just going to see that continue to flow on through the generations unless we get a circuit breaker in there and really get some solid intervention to what’s been happening.

“We can’t just continue doing what we’re doing because it’s not working.”

Mr Burnheim called on the government to fund a peak body for youth services in the NT to better co-ordinate the sector’s efforts to tackle the problem following a reduction in funding for AOD services.

“We need a really solid review of not just youth justice but in corrections for adults as well,” he said.

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“We really want to see a program designed in collaboration between the drug and alcohol sector and corrections that’s really bespoke to the needs of NT clients.”

Last month the government announced it would set aside $5m to build new remand centres amid a crackdown on youth crime and toughened bail laws but the package did not include any funding for drop in centres or AOD treatment.

The Territory Government was contacted for comment but was unable to provide a response by deadline on Monday.

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