Pain prevalent in the lives of juvenile offenders

The Maroochydore courthouse used to be packed with juveniles one day a week, before the coronavirus pandemic.

A youth worker has joined the fight against youth crime on the Coast.

SOAPBOX:

THE Maroochydore courthouse used to be packed with juveniles one day a week, before the coronavirus pandemic.

While most of their matters aren’t currently being heard in court, police have been sharing more stories about youth crime in recent weeks — even from sleepy towns like Cooroy where I wouldn’t expect to hear of recurring youth crime.

It’s prevalent, it seems to be on the rise, and in a speech in parliament last month, LNP Member for Ninderry Dan Purdie said the Sunshine Coast risked becoming a crime capital like Townsville or the Gold Coast.

In almost every case where a defendant’s criminal history began in their youth, the courts I’ve been in have also heard tragic circumstances surrounding their upbringing.

It’s easy for most law-abiding citizens who come from a good home to say their character and good nature means they would never steal or be caught with drugs, even if they had come from a rough background.

But you could never know unless that was your lived experience and these young criminals most often have a lot of pain in their lives.

It’s fantastic news that youth and social worker Krystle Brady has joined the Coast’s Child Protection and Investigation Unit, featured on yesterday’s front page.

She will look at why youngsters are beginning to come into contact with police and link them to the support they need.

I’m interested to see the outcome of the initiative.