The Queensland Government has canceled plans to convert the Caloundra Observatory into a remand center for young criminals aged 10 to 15 years, in response to community backlash.
This was after the government invited regional talks last July.
The Sunshine Coast building is an operational post that can accommodate adults and young people currently arrested by police.
The government’s intention was to use this building only as a short-term observation post for young people.
However, the plan is now abandoned after residents and businesses have expressed their views.
“In the process, we found that Caloundra was not the right place for this temporary center. We welcomed feedback, listened to community concerns and addressed those concerns,” said the Youth Minister of Justice. Leanne Linard said in the release.
Instead, observation posts will continue to be used by police, and the government will seek alternatives to increase the capacity of Queensland’s juvenile training schools.
Last year, the Queensland Government introduced a new youth judicial reform targeting recidivists.
“We continue to work on the security of the community and ensure that young people in need of detention are safe and protected,” Rinard said.
Restraining a child creates a cycle of recidivism: Amnesty International
Amnesty International Australia has previously advocated that the state should focus on reducing youth crime and addressing the root causes of crime, rather than “driving” youth to observation posts and detention. ..
Maggie Man, an indigenous rights activist at Amnesty International Australia, said evidence shows that putting children in prison creates a cycle of recidivism.
“If the Queensland Government is serious about effectively dealing with youth crime, it will have access to diversion programs invested by children and youth,” Mann said in March last year. rice field.
“The government wants to’reduce recidivism’, but it makes a fundamentally flawed assumption that prisons reduce recidivism. The government is wrong. By flipping bail estimates, the government will inject children into the prison system, create repeat offenders, and move away from preventive and diversion programs that address the root causes of crime.
Mann previously called on the Queensland Government to pursue non-custodial interventions and advocated a community-led diversion program to keep children and adolescents out of jail.
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Caden Pearson is an Australian-based reporter with a background in screenwriting and documentary. Contact him at [email protected]