Young criminals to do mandatory community service under CLP crime plan
CHILDREN who commit crime would be forced to undertake community service if the Country Liberal Party wins government
Politics
Don't miss out on the headlines from Politics. Followed categories will be added to My News.
CHILDREN who commit crime would be forced to undertake community service as part of a raft of youth justice laws to be brought in by the Country Liberal Party if they win government.
Releasing more detail on one of the four prongs of the party’s youth crime policy, Opposition Leader Lia Finocchiaro said young offenders would need to do jobs such as cleaning graffiti, maintaining the lawns of elderly and vulnerable Territorians and maintain community facilities.
MORE POLITICAL NEWS
ScoMo pops up in NT election campaign for the first time, calls on voters to pick CLP
Targeted social media political ad spend reveal NT election strategy
Ms Finocchiaro said this process would be done by making community service a diversion response in the Youth Justice Act.
If kids continued to commit crime after their community service stint, the punishment would then escalate to the CLP’s “Sentence to Skill” youth boot camps or prison.
According to the CLP, mandatory community service is a cheaper alternative to prison and would ensure youth offenders “face immediate consequences for their action, without the need for lengthy court proceedings”.
The CLP said diversion options would be developed in conjunction with Corrections and Police, and in partnership with local councils, community groups, non-government organisations, Aboriginal community organisations and other key stakeholders.
LIMITED TIME – Discounted NT News subscription: Read everything for $1
Ms Finocchiaro has said it is “absolutely not the case” that the party’s plans would unfairly target First Nations people, who are over-represented in justice systems nationwide.
“The current revolving door of warnings and diversion is of no consequence to youth offenders and we desperately need a new approach to curbing youth crime,” she said.
The Royal Commission into Youth Detention recommended youth diversion programs be operated in partnership with, or by, Aboriginal communities or organisations.
Fugitive’s 24-hours on the run after busting out of makeshift prison
A Territory man stuck in a crowded watch house cell managed to break out, leading police on a 24-hour manhunt through Darwin.
Less grog-related hospital injury visits: study
New research finds a combination of alcohol policies has helped the NT ‘turn a corner’ in grog-related hospital injury visits – but the numbers still paint a damning picture.