Government agencies including police have launched the Mount Isa Community Connect Project on Monday aimed at improving community safety and reducing youth associated crime and social disadvantage within Mount Isa.
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The project's vision is to reduce crime within Mount Isa by implementing measures that target recidivist youth offending with measures including delivering supportive early intervention methods, ensuring services delivered by government and non-government agencies are available at all times of need and a focus on school and vocational training attendance.
In a visit to Mount Isa in September last year Police Commissioner Ian Stewart said the crime situation in Mount Isa was improving though a small group of young people were responsible for most of the crime.
The new project has implemented several recommendations outlined within the 2018 Atkinson Report on youth justice as well as measures identified by the Mount Isa Regional Managers Coordination Network.
The RMCN found measures of diverting youths away from prolonged detention would generate a problem-solving solution to generational social disadvantage and also identified an opportunity for greater collaboration within agencies of Mount Isa and surroundings, specific to youth services.
Police Minister Mark Ryan said the Queensland Government and QPS were committed to the project and ensuring the approaches were culturally safe, appropriate, competent and inclusive.
"We are excited to launch this project which focuses on helping youth and families to reach their potential," Minister Ryan said.
"The project aims to facilitate a representation across all areas of Government organisations, to cohesively combat key concerns through succinct, efficient information sharing in an intensive case coordination capacity."
Commissioner Stewart said the project would allow police to focus on crime prevention.
"These new measures will increase our options for police to divert child offenders from prosecution and detention centres," Commissioner Stewart said.
"I am confident this project will improve community safety and reduce youth associated crime as well as social disadvantage within Mount Isa."
The new project comes amid many community calls to take strong action on youth crime.
In a letter to the editor last week James Coghlan said many young offenders had no respect for authority/
"(They) don't care about the police and have no fear of jail - they look forward to it because they get a free feed, a shower, safe place to sleep and clean clothes," Mr Coghlan said.
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Derek Barry
Editor of the North West Star Mount Isa since January 2016. Prior to that, an editor at several regional southern Queensland newspapers. Passionate about telling local stories. Comes with a strange accent to due an Irish accident of birth.
Editor of the North West Star Mount Isa since January 2016. Prior to that, an editor at several regional southern Queensland newspapers. Passionate about telling local stories. Comes with a strange accent to due an Irish accident of birth.
