Cairns boot camp location confirmed

Attorney-General Jarrod Bleijie has announced the location of the Cairns-based youth boot camp, which was a key election commitment of the Newman Government to get tough on juvenile crime.

Mr Bleijie said offenders who are sent to the camp will reside in Kuranda.

“Participants will spend the first four weeks of the program at the property, which has been acquired by provider, Safe Pathways,” Mr Bleijie said.

“The residential component temporarily removes young people from the offending environment and helps re-focus them and their families on rehabilitation.

“The young offenders will also spend time attending school, completing community reparation activities and doing physical activity at the Northern Outlook facility.”

Mr Bleijie said the facility would accommodate a maximum of five young people at any one time as part of the trial.

“Young people will spend one month in the residential phase and will be supervised 24 hours a day, seven days a week as they work with mentors on their rehabilitation,” he said.

“They will be subject to daily room inspections and will be expected to undertake domestic duties such as meal preparation, laundry and cleaning.” 

Mr Bleijie said a number of offenders had been referred to be assessed for the program and, pending their sentence hearings, the first intake is expected within the next month.

“Magistrates in Cairns, Atherton, Mareeba and Innisfail have the power to refer a young person to boot camp if they are considered suitable and haven’t committed sexual or violent offences,” he said.

“We’re serious about tackling the issue of juvenile crime and steering these young people away from a life of crime and towards employment and education opportunities.”

[ENDS] 21 March 2013

Media contact: Matt Johnston 0432 535 893