QATSICPP Statement
2 May 2024
Queensland Government Community Safety Plan
QATSICPP welcomes the Community Safety Plan launched by the Queensland Government this week. We support efforts focused on creating safer communities, reducing youth offending and delivering justice and services to victims of crime.
We particularly welcome the announcement to appoint an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Children’s Commissioner and look forward to working with this newly established Office in supporting our First Nations children, young people and families.
We remain deeply concerned at the alarming rate of children and young people in detention and absolutely condemn the detention of children in watch houses.
The over-representation of First Nations children and young people in the criminal justice system is significant and concerning to our communities. The rate of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander kids in detention has increased by 40 percent over the past three years.
The increase in the numbers of children and young people in custody has created serious safety and rehabilitation challenges which need to be addressed.
We also need to better understand the factors driving the behaviours of serious repeat offenders and identify means to change their life trajectory.
It is our commitment to work with Government and community organisations to develop strategies and programs that reduce offending, that are age appropriate and that are restorative.
Evidence based early intervention is critical to help young people break the cycle of risky behaviours that leads to contact with the criminal justice system.
We know that having our children and young people engaged with family, education and community activities will not only support them in their emotional, developmental and physical well-being, it will help to reduce offending behaviours.
Investing in children and young people and their communities, building meaningful relationships and ensuring that they are engaged in purposeful activities that will set them up for success is at the heart of what will create long term change.
Quotes Attributable to Garth Morgan, CEO QATSICPP
“We call on the government to commit to the co-design of a generational strategy to reduce Indigenous youth overrepresentation in the criminal justice system.
“We need to focus on creating safer communities, and we can only do that with strong partnerships with government, service providers and community organisations.
“We need to immediately get kids out of watch houses and we will work with all parties to end this current detention crisis.”
ENDS
Download the statement here
