❓ Ms. Freeman asks about the impact and expansion of the Target 120 early intervention program for at-risk youth. The Minister responds by outlining the program's goals, funding, locations, and data-driven approach, while also criticizing the opposition's handling of similar issues.
AnsweredQoN 781Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
CORRECTIVE SERVICES —
JUVENILE CRIME — TARGET 120
781. Ms
J.M. FREEMAN to the Minister for Child Protection:
I refer to the McGowan Labor
government's commitment to improving community safety and reducing
youth crime.
(1) Can the
minister outline to the house what impact the government's Target 120
early intervention program is having in supporting families of at-risk youth
and helping those young people turn their lives around?
(2) Can the minister update the
house on the expansion of this program?
JUVENILE CRIME — TARGET 120
781. Ms
J.M. FREEMAN to the Minister for Child Protection:
I refer to the McGowan Labor
government's commitment to improving community safety and reducing
youth crime.
(1) Can the
minister outline to the house what impact the government's Target 120
early intervention program is having in supporting families of at-risk youth
and helping those young people turn their lives around?
(2) Can the minister update the
house on the expansion of this program?
AnswerView source ↗
(1)–(2) I
thank the member very much for that question and for her interest in this
issue. Of course, dealing with youth offending and young people involved in the
justice system is important because not only we should have no truck with youth
offending and crime in our community, but also we want those young people to
have good productive lives and good relationships with their families and
communities. That is what Target 120 is all about. This government committed
$20.4 million of new funding into a proactive and sophisticated piece of work
with some of the young people in our community who are at risk of spending time
in Banksia Hill Detention Centre and then unfortunately graduating to the adult
correction system. That is hugely expensive in dollar terms, but of course even
more expensive in human terms. We need to do better for our community and for
those young people. We announced Target 120 last year, and it had its first
sites in Bunbury and Armadale. More than 30 young people and families have been
engaged in those two sites. Last week in
Kalgoorlie, we announced the next round of sites, which will be in Kalgoorlie ,
Kununurra and the member's seat in Mirrabooka. We will work with local
providers, not only in the Department of Communities but across a range of
different government agencies to engage those young people, but importantly and
wherever possible with their families. The program has not only 30 young
people, but also a multiplier of a number of people who will be affected
positively by this program.
The other significant part of this
approach is the data that underpins both selecting those young people and
analysing how we are going with the effectiveness of those interventions and
comparing that to business as usual. This is a very constructive and, as I said,
sophisticated approach to youth offending and is in stark contrast to the sort
of approach we see from the other side of the chamber. I am thinking in
particular of the member for Carine when he talks about homelessness and the
member for Hillarys when he talks about justice issues. They essentially run
around in circles with their hands in the air screaming, ''Things are
terrible, something has to be done'', panicked and alarmed with no
practical solutions or understanding —
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER : Member for
Carine, do not get baited. Member for Hillarys!
Ms S.F. McGURK : It is as
though these issues have just been discovered in the last six months.
Mr A. Krsticevic interjected.
The SPEAKER : Member for
Carine, I call you to order for the second time.
Ms S.F. McGURK : They have no real
solutions and no engagement with the community sector. We need to work with a range
of different agencies to get some real change in these family's lives.
That is what this government is committed to doing to not only make the
community safer, but also have better outcomes for these young people and
families.
thank the member very much for that question and for her interest in this
issue. Of course, dealing with youth offending and young people involved in the
justice system is important because not only we should have no truck with youth
offending and crime in our community, but also we want those young people to
have good productive lives and good relationships with their families and
communities. That is what Target 120 is all about. This government committed
$20.4 million of new funding into a proactive and sophisticated piece of work
with some of the young people in our community who are at risk of spending time
in Banksia Hill Detention Centre and then unfortunately graduating to the adult
correction system. That is hugely expensive in dollar terms, but of course even
more expensive in human terms. We need to do better for our community and for
those young people. We announced Target 120 last year, and it had its first
sites in Bunbury and Armadale. More than 30 young people and families have been
engaged in those two sites. Last week in
Kalgoorlie, we announced the next round of sites, which will be in Kalgoorlie ,
Kununurra and the member's seat in Mirrabooka. We will work with local
providers, not only in the Department of Communities but across a range of
different government agencies to engage those young people, but importantly and
wherever possible with their families. The program has not only 30 young
people, but also a multiplier of a number of people who will be affected
positively by this program.
The other significant part of this
approach is the data that underpins both selecting those young people and
analysing how we are going with the effectiveness of those interventions and
comparing that to business as usual. This is a very constructive and, as I said,
sophisticated approach to youth offending and is in stark contrast to the sort
of approach we see from the other side of the chamber. I am thinking in
particular of the member for Carine when he talks about homelessness and the
member for Hillarys when he talks about justice issues. They essentially run
around in circles with their hands in the air screaming, ''Things are
terrible, something has to be done'', panicked and alarmed with no
practical solutions or understanding —
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER : Member for
Carine, do not get baited. Member for Hillarys!
Ms S.F. McGURK : It is as
though these issues have just been discovered in the last six months.
Mr A. Krsticevic interjected.
The SPEAKER : Member for
Carine, I call you to order for the second time.
Ms S.F. McGURK : They have no real
solutions and no engagement with the community sector. We need to work with a range
of different agencies to get some real change in these family's lives.
That is what this government is committed to doing to not only make the
community safer, but also have better outcomes for these young people and
families.
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