The Nationals are calling for urgent action on youth crime in the Latrobe Valley after a damning report from the Victorian Auditor General’s Office (VAGO) found Labor’s flagship Youth Crime Prevention Program has failed to demonstrate any measurable reduction in youth offending or reoffending.
The report found the program reaches few offenders, applies no meaningful performance benchmarks, records data inconsistently and operates without minimum service standards.
Member for Eastern Victoria Melina Bath said the VAGO findings confirmed what Latrobe Valley residents had been experiencing for years.
“The Valley has long struggled with youth crime, causing concern for families, older residents, retailers and the broader community,” Ms Bath said.
“Labor spent more than $40 million over the past decade on a youth crime prevention program, only for the Auditor-General to reveal there’s no evidence it’s reduced offending.
“The VAGO report states 70 percent of youth reoffended within six months of entering the Labor’s flawed program.
“Labor must explain how it spent a decade claiming its youth offending program improved community safety when the evidence shows the opposite.”
Member for Morwell Martin Cameron said the VAGO report vindicated his communities longstanding concerns over Labor’s inherent youth crime failures.
“For four years I have consistently warned that youth offending has reached crisis levels in the Valley and called for stronger intervention, prevention measures and more support for frontline police,” Mr Cameron said.
“Local police are frustrated as repeat youth offenders are simply released straight back into the community.
“For its own failed program, Labor scrapped proven youth crime intervention and diversion programs, weakened bail laws and failed to resource our hardworking police.”
Ms Bath said The Nationals have a comprehensive plan to deliver safer communities and help young people move away from crime.
“We will establish Restart Victoria, a structured live-in program that provides a pathway out of crime through discipline, education, counselling and community support.
“Our plan also involves recruiting 3,000 new police officers, introducing Adult Time for Adult Crime, Break Bail Face Jail and implementing Jack’s Law within our first 100 days.
“Victorians deserve safer communities, and young people must be given an effective pathway to build productive lives away from crime.”
Caption – The Nationals’ Melina Bath and Martin Cameron call for urgent action on youth crime in the Latrobe Valley after a damning report from the Victorian Auditor General’s Office (VAGO) found Labor’s flagship Youth Crime Prevention Program has failed to demonstrate any measurable reduction in youth offending or reoffending.
