A Solution for Young Offenders?

[herakles]

MP Paul Papalia calls for young criminals to be sent to sea, not detention centres

By Amanda O'Brien
The Australian
January 19, 2009 07:10am

http://www.news.com.au/common/imagedata/0,,6445800,00.jpg All at sea ... ships like the Leeuwin could be used to rehabilitate troubled youth, says an MP




A FORMER navy diver turned politician wants Australia's troubled young people to be sent to sea to build character in "a time-honoured way" rather than being dumped in detention centres.

West Australian state Labor MP Paul Papalia said governments had to consider more creative and innovative solutions to rampant juvenile crime.

"Taking young people out of their comfort zone and getting them to deal with a confronting environment like the open ocean is a time-honoured way of building character, self-worth, teamwork and respect."

"I served in the military for 26 years. I know the benefits of building character in challenging environments."

Mr Papalia, a decorated navy diver trained in explosives retrieval, served two tours in Iraq before resigning in 2004. He entered politics in 2007 and is the Opposition spokesman for corrective services.


He said yesterday he believed even the most troubled teens could be rehabilitated by being sent to sea on training ships such as the Leeuwin.

"It costs at least $500 a day to hold a young person in detention, twice as much as the Leeuwin normally charges paying customers," he said.

"It wasn't that long ago that kids who engaged in this sort of activity were sometimes given the choice by the magistrate as to whether or not they wanted to go into the military or go to jail," he said.

"Here's an opportunity to stop these kids from ending up in the adult prison system and exacerbating problems for us all over time, invariably inflicting pain and suffering on those they commit crimes against.

"If we intercept them now, we could change that."

[eskimosailor]

MP Paul Papalia calls for young criminals to be sent to sea, not detention centres

By Amanda O'Brien
The Australian
January 19, 2009 07:10am

http://www.news.com.au/common/imagedata/0,,6445800,00.jpg All at sea ... ships like the Leeuwin could be used to rehabilitate troubled youth, says an MP




A FORMER navy diver turned politician wants Australia's troubled young people to be sent to sea to build character in "a time-honoured way" rather than being dumped in detention centres.

West Australian state Labor MP Paul Papalia said governments had to consider more creative and innovative solutions to rampant juvenile crime.

"Taking young people out of their comfort zone and getting them to deal with a confronting environment like the open ocean is a time-honoured way of building character, self-worth, teamwork and respect."

"I served in the military for 26 years. I know the benefits of building character in challenging environments."

Mr Papalia, a decorated navy diver trained in explosives retrieval, served two tours in Iraq before resigning in 2004. He entered politics in 2007 and is the Opposition spokesman for corrective services.


He said yesterday he believed even the most troubled teens could be rehabilitated by being sent to sea on training ships such as the Leeuwin.

"It costs at least $500 a day to hold a young person in detention, twice as much as the Leeuwin normally charges paying customers," he said.

"It wasn't that long ago that kids who engaged in this sort of activity were sometimes given the choice by the magistrate as to whether or not they wanted to go into the military or go to jail," he said.

"Here's an opportunity to stop these kids from ending up in the adult prison system and exacerbating problems for us all over time, invariably inflicting pain and suffering on those they commit crimes against.

"If we intercept them now, we could change that."

I was killick of a mess in the UK, more years ago than I care to remember, when I discovered one of my messmates came into the Navy as an option to Borstal, or some similar youth detention program. He became a very fine REM. Don't know how far he went, but he made a good start.
Steve

[destroyer154]

First time I have looked at this as a solution. May I say, it works! I was involved in 10 day 'Adventure Sailings' with a South Australian Topsail Schooner and our program certainly turned young people with problems around. They soon learned that they had to 'work the ship' in order to get anywhere and that there was a reward waiting at the other end. In this case it was getting to the 'hole in the wall' at the bottom of the west coast of Tasmania and climbing Mt Rugby. They then received a certificate or merit for this accomplishment. The next reward was sailing the vessel back to the mainland via King Island and being welcomed home by loving parents and carers. They were changed people. They now knew that life is a whole lot better when things are done by teamwork and co-operation. Some even wanted to become part of the permanent crew.
Each stood watches over the 24 hour by four day period (one all nighter every fourth night) and knew what it was like to let your crew mates down if you did not muster for your watch through some reason or other. A grand experience. I also had the pleasure of seeing STS Leeuwin at 'work', and have to say she was the most efficiently run Sail Trainer I had ever stepped aboard... not even a corn flake left after a 10 day sail!
The youth of the 21st Century have it far too easy and seem to be more content playing with their 'phones and twiddling their thumbs than to get out and experience life!
A ten day jaunt aboard a well run sail trainer is just the thing and I wish the new pollie well in his endeavours.

Lash me to the wheel, it's only me back that's broke!;)

[chris westwood]

I worked in the youth justice system for 15 years in a secure unit for youngsters who committed serious offences-from murder, downwards. I now work part time with a close friend who spent time in prison for violent offenbces and who now works in schools, young offenders institutions and so on working toward helping youngsters take the right life decisions-something he failed to do in his youth. His work is accredited with the west yorkshire police

Similar schemes exist, not necessarily at sea already, and they are very worthwhile, and there should be as many options of this type as possible

But, there is no magic formula, no single solution, no guarantee of success.

That's because peoples' behaviour is governed by complex sets of contributory factors when youngsters have had what is invariably a benficial experience, they go back to the environment, such as the peer group they came from.

Also success is measured in different ways, and often the penny doesn't drop until a fair while afterwards.

For the right type of boy or girl, this initiative could be brilliant.

[Mitch Hinde]

Hi All

As an ex prison officer of 25 years standing with experience of all types of gaols from Leeds when it was a local prison through Wakefield cat A establisment and Ashford/Feltham young offenders institutions, I applaud any ideas that keep people from reoffending, but as Chris so rightly says, and I don't often agree with him, it takes a long time. Prison does not and never has worked in any way other than to take the offender off the streets for X number of years, but, to successfully achieve rehabilitation the desire to be rehabilitated has to be there in the first place, either from within the person or induced by example from outside. I wish them the best of luck.

Mitch Hinde

[chris westwood]

Hi All

As an ex prison officer of 25 years standing with experience of all types of gaols from Leeds when it was a local prison through Wakefield cat A establisment and Ashford/Feltham young offenders institutions, I applaud any ideas that keep people from reoffending, but as Chris so rightly says, and I don't often agree with him, it takes a long time. Prison does not and never has worked in any way other than to take the offender off the streets for X number of years, but, to successfully achieve rehabilitation the desire to be rehabilitated has to be there in the first place, either from within the person or induced by example from outside. I wish them the best of luck.

Mitch Hinde

hi Mitch
my friend, who's name is dave Downs is doing inreach work at HMP Leeds(ie Armley), ironically he was a guest there for a while. There are some good initiatives going on there right now.

I agree with you about locking people up. The bottom line is that society has to be protected from some people. The hard bit is what happens afterwards

and as you say, the desire has to come from the person.

it doesn't matter what kind of life people lead, and the kids I worked with often came from almost unimaginable backgrounds-this doesn't excuse what they did, but it sure as hell puts things in perspective, when you get to know people. Almost invariably, this would be the life they would be happy to go back to, because this was the life they knew. It's the same for everybody.