Putting the boot in: Liberals pledge camp for young offenders

THE Liberal Nationals have turned the focus of their law and order campaign to young offenders, pledging to create a “youth boot camp” for nonviolent offenders if the party gains power at Saturday’s election.

The existing ROPES program and Community Youth Camps will be expanded and the boot camp, which would include “military style training programs” and likely be built in regional Victoria, would be introduced for youth offenders who have not committed acts of violence or are at risk of committing acts of violence.

The Children’s Court would be able to order attendance at the boot camp as an alternative to a custodial sentence in youth justice facilities.

The Liberal Nationals have committed $5 million – $1 million for asset purchases and $4 million for operational costs – towards the two year trial, which would begin in 2020.

The pilot project will initially host a maximum of 50 youths at the campsite at any one time, with participants to live on site for up to 12 weeks under expert supervision, including philanthropic former police and military personnel.

The program will be designed in consultation with serving and former police and military personnel and have a focus on the values of honesty and respect underpinned by the importance of discipline and team work, with “the daily program would start at 6am with supervised, mandatory group exercise overseen by an instructor”.

As part of the Children’s Court order, youths caught breaking established camp rules may be taken out of the program and sent to a youth justice facility for the remainder of the time they were due to spend in the program.

“This is for those kids that need some tough love and the importance of values to help them get back in control of their lives,” Opposition Leader Matthew Guy said.

“We need our justice system to instil the values of discipline, honesty and respect into youth offenders to get them back on the right path.

“This will not happen in a ‘soft touch’ environment that makes excuses and sets low expectations.”