❓ Mr Blayney questions the Minister for Corrective Services about the care of young offenders and reforms undertaken by the Liberal-National government. The Minister responds by highlighting a reduction in juvenile detention rates and recidivism.
AnsweredQoN 702Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
CORRECTIVE SERVICES — CARE OF YOUNG
OFFENDERS — REFORM
702. Mr I.C. BLAYNEY to the Minister for
Corrective Services:
Can the minister please advise the
house about the care of young offenders —
The
SPEAKER : Just sit down a minute.
Mr
I.C. BLAYNEY : Can the minister please advise the house about the care of
young offenders in Western Australia and the reform that has been undertaken in
the sector by the Liberal–National government?
OFFENDERS — REFORM
702. Mr I.C. BLAYNEY to the Minister for
Corrective Services:
Can the minister please advise the
house about the care of young offenders —
The
SPEAKER : Just sit down a minute.
Mr
I.C. BLAYNEY : Can the minister please advise the house about the care of
young offenders in Western Australia and the reform that has been undertaken in
the sector by the Liberal–National government?
AnswerView source ↗
I thank the member for Geraldton for
his interest in this very important matter. I say at the outset that the first
priority I outlined when I became Minister for Corrective Services was to do
something to reduce the travesty of the number of young, particularly
Aboriginal, boys in detention, both sentenced and on remand, in Western Australia.
To put it in some kind of context, in 2008 when the government changed, there
were just over 170 juveniles in detention—predominantly Aboriginal kids
and predominantly male. At the time of the riot, just before I took over, there
were about 220 juveniles in detention, both sentenced and on remand. Today as I
speak, the number is 116. We have seen through our reform process in juvenile
justice a 50 per cent reduction in the number of young Aboriginal kids in
detention in Western Australia. It is something I am exceptionally proud of.
Everyone in the Department of Corrective Services also should be very proud of
the way they have attacked and gone through the reform process, in particular
through juvenile detention.
The key performance indicators are
not just on the number of juveniles who are either on remand or sentenced; it
is on the recidivism rate more than anything else. In 2013, the recidivism rate
for all juveniles in detention was 75 per cent; upon their release from Banksia
Hill Detention Centre, 75 per cent of them recommitted a crime. Today that has
gone down by 20 per cent. Although we still have some way to go to get the
recidivism rate down, it is down to 55 per cent. That is a significant
reduction. It is a significant achievement in trying to do the right thing and
reform the lives of some of the most troubled kids in Western Australia,
despite the opposition from the union that represents what we now call youth
justice workers—the former youth custodial officers—despite the
fact that they wanted to use pepper spray and batons at Banksia Hill and
despite the fact that they still do not like the idea that we are withdrawing
spit hoods and replacing them with personal protective equipment masks and
goggles for the workers to deal with kids obviously in very excited
circumstances.
Mr
F.M. Logan interjected.
The
SPEAKER : Member for Cockburn!
Mr J.M. FRANCIS :
With all of this in mind, this is an important issue. Despite the fact that we
do not use restraint chairs and beds, we can now guarantee that what happened
in the Northern Territory does not happen in Western Australia. We have a very,
very different focus—predominantly on the reform of the young offender
and making sure that we correct their behaviour so that when they are released,
they do not reoffend. It means less cost to re-incarcerate them and it means
that they can go on and become a meaningful member of society, make a contribution
and have a real life.
Mr
M. McGowan : You look a little bit guilty.
The
SPEAKER : Through the Chair, please.
Mr
J.M. FRANCIS : This is a really important issue! The Leader of the
Opposition does not care about Aboriginal kids in custody. He wants to make
stupid interjections. It is typical of the Labor Party. Stupid interjections!
Several members interjected.
The
SPEAKER : Through the Chair!
Mr
J.M. FRANCIS : This is a very important issue, Leader of the Opposition! We
are very proud of our achievements in reducing the number of kids in detention
in Western Australia. Grow up!
his interest in this very important matter. I say at the outset that the first
priority I outlined when I became Minister for Corrective Services was to do
something to reduce the travesty of the number of young, particularly
Aboriginal, boys in detention, both sentenced and on remand, in Western Australia.
To put it in some kind of context, in 2008 when the government changed, there
were just over 170 juveniles in detention—predominantly Aboriginal kids
and predominantly male. At the time of the riot, just before I took over, there
were about 220 juveniles in detention, both sentenced and on remand. Today as I
speak, the number is 116. We have seen through our reform process in juvenile
justice a 50 per cent reduction in the number of young Aboriginal kids in
detention in Western Australia. It is something I am exceptionally proud of.
Everyone in the Department of Corrective Services also should be very proud of
the way they have attacked and gone through the reform process, in particular
through juvenile detention.
The key performance indicators are
not just on the number of juveniles who are either on remand or sentenced; it
is on the recidivism rate more than anything else. In 2013, the recidivism rate
for all juveniles in detention was 75 per cent; upon their release from Banksia
Hill Detention Centre, 75 per cent of them recommitted a crime. Today that has
gone down by 20 per cent. Although we still have some way to go to get the
recidivism rate down, it is down to 55 per cent. That is a significant
reduction. It is a significant achievement in trying to do the right thing and
reform the lives of some of the most troubled kids in Western Australia,
despite the opposition from the union that represents what we now call youth
justice workers—the former youth custodial officers—despite the
fact that they wanted to use pepper spray and batons at Banksia Hill and
despite the fact that they still do not like the idea that we are withdrawing
spit hoods and replacing them with personal protective equipment masks and
goggles for the workers to deal with kids obviously in very excited
circumstances.
Mr
F.M. Logan interjected.
The
SPEAKER : Member for Cockburn!
Mr J.M. FRANCIS :
With all of this in mind, this is an important issue. Despite the fact that we
do not use restraint chairs and beds, we can now guarantee that what happened
in the Northern Territory does not happen in Western Australia. We have a very,
very different focus—predominantly on the reform of the young offender
and making sure that we correct their behaviour so that when they are released,
they do not reoffend. It means less cost to re-incarcerate them and it means
that they can go on and become a meaningful member of society, make a contribution
and have a real life.
Mr
M. McGowan : You look a little bit guilty.
The
SPEAKER : Through the Chair, please.
Mr
J.M. FRANCIS : This is a really important issue! The Leader of the
Opposition does not care about Aboriginal kids in custody. He wants to make
stupid interjections. It is typical of the Labor Party. Stupid interjections!
Several members interjected.
The
SPEAKER : Through the Chair!
Mr
J.M. FRANCIS : This is a very important issue, Leader of the Opposition! We
are very proud of our achievements in reducing the number of kids in detention
in Western Australia. Grow up!
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