The Youth Justice and Other Legislation Amendment Bill 2019 was introduced to the Queensland Parliament on Friday, 14th June and is now before the Legal Affairs and Community Safety Committee, requiring a report to Parliament by Friday, 9th August. The Committee is seeking submissions in response to the objectives of the Bill, in particular amendments to the Youth Justice Act 1992, the Bail Act 1980 and the Police Powers and Responsibilities Act 2001 including: reducing time for proceedings; removing legislative barriers to bail; improved information sharing to better respond to the needs of young people; removing conditions requiring the use of an electronic device on a child; in sentencing a young person for the manslaughter of a child under 12 years, courts must treat the defencelessness of the victim and their vulnerability as an aggravating factor; allowing the Office of the Public Guardian’s community visitor program for children to visit young people who may reside at a child accommodation service provided or funded by the Department of Youth Justice. Submissions will be received until Wednesday, 10 July at noon. Submissions can be lodged via email to lacsc@parliament.qld.gov.au.
Obviously a watering down of an already Failed System. If these changes take away electronic monitoring from ANY offender deemed necessary by the Court then I OBJECT strongly to the watering down of the existing policy. Further that Changes need to be made to STRENGTHEN the existing weak policy which only encourages young offenders to re offend because there are NO CONSEQUENCES or DETERRING consequences for their criminal behavior .
Any policy amendment or change that Removes or weakens the requirement of DICIPLINE from any justice system is detrimental and makes an excuse for offenders to re offend through lack of Consequences as result of their Crime.
Parents of the offenders need to take more responsibility of their children. I suggest cutting parental payments from Centrelink. If children are not attending school their parents parental payments should be cut. School funding so state schools receive free school uniforms, shoes, socks, books, stationary. Kids that don’t want to go to school more opportunities for apprenticeships & farm work. More incentives for businesses & farmers who hire these youths. More support for individual mothers & fathers who have drug & alcohol addiction & if need be finding a safe place for youths to stay.
#1 Children at risk of coming into contact with the Juvenile Justice system need to be identified and assisted to steer clear of criminal activity at the earliest possible stage.
Where there is parental neglect, abuse or criminality the option for permanent removal into an adoptive or permanent foster home needs to be an early choice.
#2 There MUST be stern consequences for offending. If not for the child’s initial charges, certainly the second and all subsequent. No child – even of minimal intellect, fails to realise after one Court appearance that the offending behaviour is illegal, wrong and hurts other members of the community.
#3 Electronic tracking devices SHOULD be an acceptable and widely utilised tool for keeping children and young persons out of a custodial setting. Why would a Magistrate or Judge hand down a judgement and expect adherence to it without some form of accountability on the part of the child?
Same with bail. Why set bail if the child can break it at will without consequence? What is the purpose?
#4 Public interest issues are not properly addressed. Many times the VICTIMS of juvenile criminals are left high and dry without any recompense or justice seen to be done and face stiffer penalties for naming their tormentors than the criminals do for their misdeeds. Same if anyone catches a juvenile offender in the act and in the process of restraining them, is accused of assault or false imprisonment.
#5 Killers of youngsters under 12 – whether the offender is a child or adult, SHOULD have the victims vulnerability as an aggravating factor taken into account. Sentences handed down for manslaughter of infants and young children in this State have been ridiculous in as much as most killings were the culmination of many hours, days or months of sustained abuse. These are instance of MURDER whether the offender meant to kill the victim or not.
#6 Parental right to restrict movement of children under 16 needs to be restored.
This is crazy, they’re getting to the stage where there will be no bloody Laws for Youths! They have them already and look at how the mongrels ‘Abide’ by them! Cutting back on ‘Youth Justice’ Laws is NOT the answer. It seems you’re just giving in to the young criminals to make life easier for them. What the hell is going on here ffs?? It’s like everything is arse about face or you don’t want to hurt their feelings. For gods sake wake up and let’s arrest those who need to be arrested. The ones that break the laws. Stop pussy footing around, because these buggars are just getting better at what they do, and it will be YOUR house or car next. And someone will get hurt! Let’s up the Laws, not drop them.