Minister for Police and Minister for Corrective Services, the Honourable Mark Ryan MP joined Commissioner Ian Stewart as well as representatives from other government agencies to launch the Mount Isa Community Connect Project today.
The Community Connect project is a multi-agency initiative that aims to improve community safety and reduce youth associated crime and social disadvantage within Mount Isa.
The project’s vision is to reduce crime within Mount Isa by implementing measures that target recidivist youth offending.
These measures include delivering supportive early intervention methods, ensuring services delivered by government and non-government agencies are available at all times of need and there is a focus on school and vocational training attendance.
This project has implemented several recommendations outlined within the Atkinson Report as well as measures identified by the Mount Isa Regional Managers Coordination Network (RMCN).
The RMCN found that the measures of diverting youths away from prolonged detention would generate a problem-solving solution to generational social disadvantage.
The RMCN also identified an opportunity for greater collaboration within agencies of Mount Isa and surroundings, specific to youth services.
Minister 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 focusses 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.”
