WA's police commissioner has called for greater supports to help break the cycle of juvenile offending, saying it should not be his officers responding to many incidents of youth crime.
Years of crisis in Western Australia's youth detention system have also highlighted gaps in the broader youth justice system, which is meant to divert young people from offending but often doesn't.
Court records recently showedhow those systems failed to help a 16-year-old boywho last month became WA's second youth suicide behind bars, as he cycled in and out of detention five times in two years.
Prior to those records being made public, Commissioner Col Blanch spoke candidly about the role he wants his officers to play in the system.
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-09-30/wa-police-commissioner-col-blanch-youth-justice/104259324Comm Blanch goes on to say that police are being used as the first responders to children in a wide range of circumstances.
in many countries and states there are services that are set up to assist children picked up at night. these services are often grown out of the immediate community by well-intended parents and others. there are a lot of risks with community based groups as often theres no police checks and these sort of groups can attract abusers. its also dangerous for the well-intended who can catch a complaint from a difficult child.
these things need to new well organised with suitable assurances that all who work within the group are legally safe, at the very least. police should be able to call on these services to take children either to the parents or to a deafer place for the night.
early contact with police can be traumatic for children and create a lifeline of crime. far better for every contact to be supportive and promoting children's safety.
