Fresh Start for young offenders

While the current youth justice process works well for the majority of young offenders there are a group of serious and persistent young offenders who we need to work more intensively and effectively, holding them to account while still providing them with the supports and interventions that will address their offending behaviour.

In February 2009, the Government introduced the Children, Young Persons and their Families (Youth Courts Jurisdiction and Orders) Amendment Bill to the House.  The proposed Fresh Start reforms will enable us to work more intensively with these young people over a longer period of time.  With the help of this more sustained support, they have a better chance of getting their lives back on track.

The proposed reforms include widening the Youth Court jurisdiction to include 12 and 13 year olds who commit serious offences, creating tougher, more effective sentences for persistent and serious offenders, including longer residential stays and increased supervision requirements and providing new powers for the Youth Court to order parenting, mentoring and drug and alcohol programmes.

The Fresh Start reforms are in the Select Committee process, where interested parties have an opportunity to comment on and influence the final shape of the new Bill.  The Government aims to have the new laws in place by the end of this year with the new reforms coming into effect by 1 October 2010.