WA election 2017: Labor vows to target 120 worst young offenders and families
Updated
The worst juvenile offenders in Western Australia would be targeted under an election pledge by the State Opposition to revive a program providing comprehensive support to dysfunctional families.
Called Target 120, the scheme would focus on WA's 120 worst young offenders in a $22 million program to curb crime at the source.
The program would assign a single support person to each dysfunctional family, who would then coordinate services from multiple agencies including WA Police, health, education, child protection and corrective services.
WA Labor leader Mark McGowan said the program would be introduced if Labor won office at the state election in March, and would differ from existing programs.
"Firstly, this is targeting the 120 families who are most involved in juvenile crime, and secondly, it's a single contact point person who draws together other agencies," he said.
The new scheme would restore the approach of the previous Labor government's so-called Family Intensive Team, working directly with the offender's families to strengthen parenting and reduce crime.
Mr McGowan said the program would operate in tandem with a tough approach on law enforcement, but stressed family support was critical to preventing crime.
"I want to make sure that we intervene as a government with the most dysfunctional families in our community to prevent crime before it occurs," he said.
Labor made the announcement outside Banksia Hill Detention Centre in Canning Vale, where guards have had to deal with a string of serious incidents over the past few months.
Mr McGowan said many of the young people in the centre came from dysfunctional families, and the ongoing problems in detention showed the Government's approach on juvenile crime was not working.
"Those young people are incarcerated in here and when they come out, more often than not, they end up back here within two years," he said.
"It's imperative that we intervene in those households to make sure that we create an environment in which those young people get some structure in their lives."
'We haven't lost control of Banksia Hill'
Corrective Services Minister Joe Francis has however rejected Labor's claims that problems at Banksia Hill are out of control.
"We haven't lost control of Banksia Hill. Three kids, on a roof, chucking stones, isn't losing control of that facility," he said.
"It will happen from time to be time because it's an exceptionally complicated place to try and reform very troubled young offenders."
The Minister accused Labor of plagiarism, with its Target 120 program to focus support on dysfunctional families and increase crime preventions efforts.
Mr Francis said the Government was already delivering support to troubled families and young offenders.
"They already have a go-to person. There is nothing new whatsoever in what the Labor Party has announced. It is just copying exactly what the Government has announced," he said.
Independent inquiry needed at Banksia Hill: Labor
Opposition Corrective Services spokesman Paul Papalia said the Labor Party would conduct an internal review of its operation if elected.
"I think there is a fundamental problem at the moment with the way they are managing the facility. There doesn't appear to be adequate consequences for bad behaviour," he said.
"Staff in here have had their arms broken, their noses broken, their lives are threatened on a regular basis.
"There needs to be an independent inquiry into what's going on."
Mr McGowan said Labor would be prepared to enforce compliance through the existing but so far unused parental responsibility laws.
"We'll make sure those families get the support they need but there's a responsibility on them as well," he said.
Topics: youth, crime, prisons-and-punishment, states-and-territories, perth-6000, canning-vale-6155, wa
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