Child Safety Minister Di Farmer

June 17, 2020

New laws to deny bail to repeat youth offenders considered a danger to the community have been passed in State Parliament.

Child Safety Minister Di Farmer said the government had listened to community concerns about youth crime.

“If a young person is judged an unacceptable risk to the safety of the community, they must be refused bail,” Ms Farmer said.

“It’s a significant change aimed squarely at repeat and prolific young offenders.”

She said the amendments simplified and strengthened the law, removing the word “may” and replacing it with “must” keep a child in custody if the young person is an unacceptable risk to the safety or welfare of a person, or if there is an unacceptable risk to community safety.

“It’s a small, hardcore group of repeat young offenders that are responsible for 44 per cent of all youth crime,” Ms Farmer said.

“They cause grief in the community and I make no apology for making them the target of new denial-of-bail legislation.”


 

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