Children's Minister Karen Chhour's announcement today that the Government was introducing a new declaration for young offenders with harsher penalties has been described as a "baseless experiment" and "feeding the cycle of intergenerational trauma" by Opposition parties.
The new Young Serious Offender declaration would be applied to teenagers between 14 and 17 who have committed two offences punishable by imprisonment of 10 years of more and were assessed as being likely to reoffend by a court.
Chhour said these offenders could be sent to a new military-style academy and a pilot programme involving 10 participants already in the system was progressing.
Government announces new tactics to curb crime, including a serious youth offending declaration. (Source: 1News)
Labour children's spokesperson Willow Jean-Prime said today's announcement was a repeat of the Government "rejecting decades of evidence and expert advice".
"Expert advice has already suggested that these boot camps may cause further harm for children who have experienced abuse or suffered deep trauma – all of which are common among youth offenders.
“Forcing these kinds of children into boot camps is cruel and takes our youth rehabilitative system backwards."
She said spending $5m on a pilot military-style academy when more youth aid officers and social workers are needed was an example of the Government "making the wrong choices yet again".
"We need common-sense, evidence-based wraparound programmes that we know work. I worry the Government is losing sight of who’s being put at risk, when it comes to their baseless experiments."
'Our rangitahi need opportunities' — Greens
Green Party justice spokesperson Tamatha Paul said the Government's policies will "fail our rangatahi and fail to address the core drivers of crime."
"Our rangatahi need opportunities, to learn, to do mahi, to contribute to their communities. This is what will see them reach their full potential."
Paul said the Government should not be "adding to the pain and punishment" young people have experienced their entire lives.
"Labelling children as young as 14 as serious offenders will only aggravate the vulnerable situations many of our youth find themselves in."
Ignoring drivers such as backgrounds of abuse, trauma, mental health problems, learning disabilities and lack of support would "feed the cycle of intergenerational trauma that devastates families and communities", she said.
"Despite the Government’s rhetoric about serious offenders, evidence suggests most of the teenagers who will be subject to these orders will have already had a life of difficulty, worlds apart from the privileged and comfortable lives of Government Ministers.
"Throwing these kids into boot camps is inexcusably shallow politics and, if anything, it’s likely to increase reoffending."
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