Published Friday, 20 June, 2008 at 04:42 PM
Minister for Communities, Disability Services, ATSIP, Multicultural Affairs, Seniors and Youth
The Honourable Lindy Nelson-Carr
McArdle missed the boat on juvenile justice review: Minister
Communities Minister Lindy Nelson-Carr said the Bligh Government invests in a range of strategies to manage demand on juvenile detention centres, from intensive rehabilitation to early intervention and prevention programs in the community.
"The Opposition deputy leader Mark McArdle knows it is the Courts who make decisions on whether a juvenile offender is detained in custody or granted bail, and the State manages those times when this results in high levels of remand," she said.
"Last month I gave Mr McArdle access to the Cleveland youth detention facility to see first-hand.
"On that day, detention levels were actually lower than capacity but Mr McArdle chose instead to select one high demand day in April for his latest media statement.
"Although statewide detention capacity is 150, in times of high remand levels we are able to accommodate more juvenile offenders while still maintaining best practice staff levels of one staff to every four detainees.
"The one staff for every four detainees is equal to best practice in Australia and is better than many other jurisdictions."
Ms Nelson-Carr said the safety of all staff and young people within youth detention centres was paramount.
Detainees are required to undergo stringent induction programs upon admission. Any young person involved in an unacceptable incident or assault is automatically placed on a behaviour management plan, with privileges reduced and possible implications on time to be served.
Ms Nelson-Carr said increased staffing, rosters, records management, staff support, training and counselling are all geared to protect the rights of staff to be safe in the workplace.
"If Mr McArdle or his party were really concerned about juvenile justice issues, they should have done the work and made a submission to the recent Juvenile Justice Act 1992 review," she said.
"I want to say thank you to the 174 other Queenslanders who did make the effort to have their views considered, including 53 young people who wanted to have their say on the future of juvenile justice in Queensland."
The Bligh Government has announced $11.4 million in the 2008-09 State Budget to increase youth detention capacity at the Townsville site includes purchasing land and planning the best model business case for the site.
"This is not about a lock-and-key approach to combating youth crime but an investment in the best modern model of delivering extra detention capacity, backed up by as strong focus on rehabilitation and early intervention to help stop juveniles getting into detention in the first place.
"Detention is a last resort generally used for serious offenders. In these cases it protects the community and also provides the opportunity for rehabilitation to help young offenders get their lives back on track."
Ms Nelson-Carr said the extra capacity would build on the State's current youth detention centre capacity of 150 permanent beds, which is the combined total of Brisbane (102) and Cleveland in Townsville (48).
Media contact: Minister Nelson-Carr’s Office 3235 4280
"The Opposition deputy leader Mark McArdle knows it is the Courts who make decisions on whether a juvenile offender is detained in custody or granted bail, and the State manages those times when this results in high levels of remand," she said.
"Last month I gave Mr McArdle access to the Cleveland youth detention facility to see first-hand.
"On that day, detention levels were actually lower than capacity but Mr McArdle chose instead to select one high demand day in April for his latest media statement.
"Although statewide detention capacity is 150, in times of high remand levels we are able to accommodate more juvenile offenders while still maintaining best practice staff levels of one staff to every four detainees.
"The one staff for every four detainees is equal to best practice in Australia and is better than many other jurisdictions."
Ms Nelson-Carr said the safety of all staff and young people within youth detention centres was paramount.
Detainees are required to undergo stringent induction programs upon admission. Any young person involved in an unacceptable incident or assault is automatically placed on a behaviour management plan, with privileges reduced and possible implications on time to be served.
Ms Nelson-Carr said increased staffing, rosters, records management, staff support, training and counselling are all geared to protect the rights of staff to be safe in the workplace.
"If Mr McArdle or his party were really concerned about juvenile justice issues, they should have done the work and made a submission to the recent Juvenile Justice Act 1992 review," she said.
"I want to say thank you to the 174 other Queenslanders who did make the effort to have their views considered, including 53 young people who wanted to have their say on the future of juvenile justice in Queensland."
The Bligh Government has announced $11.4 million in the 2008-09 State Budget to increase youth detention capacity at the Townsville site includes purchasing land and planning the best model business case for the site.
"This is not about a lock-and-key approach to combating youth crime but an investment in the best modern model of delivering extra detention capacity, backed up by as strong focus on rehabilitation and early intervention to help stop juveniles getting into detention in the first place.
"Detention is a last resort generally used for serious offenders. In these cases it protects the community and also provides the opportunity for rehabilitation to help young offenders get their lives back on track."
Ms Nelson-Carr said the extra capacity would build on the State's current youth detention centre capacity of 150 permanent beds, which is the combined total of Brisbane (102) and Cleveland in Townsville (48).
Media contact: Minister Nelson-Carr’s Office 3235 4280