Part of National's first 100-day plan was a Youth Justice Bill which included ‘Boot Camps’ for the worst 40 youth criminals. Chief Youth Court Judge Andrew Becroft is reported in this morning's DominionPost as saying that overseas experience shows “It made them healthier, fitter, faster, but they were still burglars, just harder to catch”. He has a point.
While the NZDF may have a role to play as it does with the LSV (Limited Service Volunteer) Scheme run at Burnham Military Camp but funded by MSD– running boot camps is a burden. It's no secret that the NZDF is already over-committed; any attempt to load it with more outputs, without fundamental changes to the way they would be applied would be unfair.
The Army’s job is to train soldiers, not to act as a youth services provider or social welfare agency.
This is not to say that I am not in favour of a boot camp initiative. I just don't believe that it should be up to the NZDF to have to train the country's worst repeat youth offenders – 40 next year – and take responsibility for turning their lives around.
Boot camps can work - but only when adequate post-training support is provided to ensure that the values and disciplines these young people pick up at boot camp do not disappear once they are re-immersed in their day-to-day environment. Without this support all we would be doing is turning out fitter, stronger offenders who are harder to catch and rehabilitate.
There is any number of very good youth programmes – Project K, LSV to name two. There is much to be said for casting the net wider than just the NZDF and bringing together all youth providers that offer disciplined and challenging experiences – like Outward Bound – into one solution under the Defence Force Reserves, overseen by an all-party Parliamentary Reserve Forces Group.
For this, the NZDF Reserves could be funded as a separate output class from operational NZDF functions using existing and unsuccessful youth vote monies – especially from Social Development Ministry funding. Programmes could be staffed by recently retired service personnel – who still have active reserve liability – and suitably qualified civilian instructors, and could include an educational/trade training component much like that provided by the now-closed Regular Force Cadet School.
Hi, I feel that prisons need
Hi,
I feel that prisons need to become less attractive to offenders and there is a need of the introduction of Borstals as a prevention of crime. It would be highly regulated, would focus on routine, discipline and authority. The thought of those becoming fitter as a problem is very short sighted and many of these offenders need to be shown that we do care and this is the only way to get through to some.
Many of the offenders need to be removed to protect the public and to be held accountable for their actions. I would place boy racers in this category, as they have been given opportunity to race their cars under professional supervision (concerned community police or veteran racers), but have declined. They are from all all walks of life, as some are from overly indulged backgrounds where the parents encourage their children to abuse authority through their own treatment of authority figures,those who need to be noticed and others paying back society for their troubles. The borstal would give them little opportunity to have excuses for their deviant behaviour attributed to hormonal frustration. My daughters are currently at university and on completion of their studies will have a huge debt. Whereas those within the judicial system and completing a prison term would have their training paid for by the tax payer and after four years would be debt free. The excuse given that these characters need to be given opportunity to get a further education makes a mockery of the hard work taken by students wanting to gain a better quality of life. Once again what deterrent of being in prison is given to those offending.
Post new comment