Queensland Mayor Says Just Keeping Kids In Detention Won’t Do

WhatsAppWhatsAppFacebookFacebookTwitterTwitterPinterestPinterestRedditRedditGmailGmailShareShare

Last updated on March 4th, 2023 at 03:56 am

The mayor of far north Queensland says “nothing will work” to break his cycle of re-offending Unless juvenile delinquents are placed in rehabilitation programs without distraction.

Townsville Mayor Jenny Hill shows her lesson on this. She supports the state government’s plans to criminalize breach of bail for children. The government wants to increase the jail term for crimes committed by children.

Detaining them will help limit reoffending, the mayor says, but the cycle won’t be broken unless detention facilities provide children with effective rehabilitation programs.

If you suddenly become detained as a government, you are also able to put these children through programs at Cleveland (Youth Detention Centre), and I know you run some excellent programs there. “Some of you have broken the cycle for some of these kids,” she told a parliamentary inquiry into the proposed laws on Thursday.

 If they are sentenced to three months at best, nothing will work until they are in those programs. 

Keep Reading

As the state government admits, the legislation will limit children’s rights, and in effect override the Human Rights Act that was passed in 2019.

 Legal groups, social service providers, and human rights watchdogs have widely criticized the proposed laws and the short deadline for submissions.

 According to evidence cited by the state’s human rights commissioner, pre-trial detention of children triples their chances of reoffending, thus aggravating the youth crime problem. 

Townsville’s mayor, however, said the bill should go further by mandating sentences for certain crimes and offering alternatives to detention, like remote, military-style accommodation where offenders cannot access social media. 

Furthermore, it should be appropriately managed. Ms. Hill told the inquiry, sitting in Townsville on Thursday, that many of these kids come from tough environments, and a structure, a good solid structure around them, could help them understand and value what it’s like living in society.

Currently, children are placed in care homes in the middle of Townsville that “aren’t managed very well” by external providers.

The mayor said it was more about profit-making than caring for children.

When you take them out of their environment, you have an opportunity to educate and support them without distracting them. When you bring them back to a place like Townsville, all the distractions, all the friends, and all the social media are there. 

Also Read:- How Come Indians Are Obsessed With Overworking?

About WR News Writer

WR News Writer is an engineer turned professionally trained writer who has a strong voice in her writing. She speaks on issues of migrant workers, human rights, and more.

WR News Writer

WR News Writer is an engineer turned professionally trained writer who has a strong voice in her writing. She speaks on issues of migrant workers, human rights, and more.

Recent Posts

National Insurance Company Limited AO Apply Online 2025: Direct Link Eligibility and Vacancy Details

The National Insurance Company Limited (NICL), owned by the Government of India, has invited applications for 266 Administrative Officer (AO)…

June 14, 2025

Work-Life Balance the Japanese Way: What Is Yutori and Why You Need It

In today's frantic world, the Japanese philosophy of Yutori provides a refreshing alternative to the hustle mentality. Meaning "room to…

June 14, 2025

Taiwan Welcomes Filipinos with Extended Visa Free Entry Until 2026

An extension of Taiwan's visa-free travel programme for Philippine passport holders has been renewed for another year. This extension allows…

June 14, 2025

Judge Blocks Rubio’s Plan to Lay Off 2,000 State Department Employees

A federal judge in San Francisco has temporarily prevented Secretary of State Marco Rubio from laying off almost 2,000 U.S.-based…

June 14, 2025

eShram Card  for Unorganized Workers Full Guide: Who Can Apply, Required Documents and How to Check Balance

Launched on August 26, 2021 by the Ministry of Labour and Employment the eShram Card is the pioneering initiative of…

June 13, 2025

Unilever Under Fire: Ivory Coast Workers Accuse Unilever of Union Rights Violations

Employees at Unilever Côte d’Ivoire have alleged that the company severed its collective bargaining agreement with employees amid plans to…

June 13, 2025