A new documentary revealing how police are partnering with experts to divert youth away from a life of crime has been released in Queensland.
Policing Youth Offenders provides a real and raw account of the current state of play with youth crime in Queensland while taking audiences behind the scenes of strategies making a difference in our communities.
Produced by the Queensland Police Service, the 30-minute film documents the realities of policing young offenders over a 10-month period including a first-hand account from a former youth offender.
Featuring representatives from partner agencies such as the Department of Children, Youth Justice and Multicultural Affairs (DCYJMA), the documentary covers adverse childhood experience (ACE), intergenerational trauma, transitional programs, and real-life stories of offenders reshaping their future.
Commissioner Katarina Carroll said the documentary brings to the forefront the underlying complexities with policing youth crime.
“Youth crime is a challenging and complex issue for society which we know cannot be resolved overnight,” Commissioner Carroll said.
“While the documentary confronts some of the difficulties we are faced with, it also
showcases amazing outcomes police, government agencies and community leaders are achieving through their work with at-risk young people.
“We hope the film provides audiences with new insight into the work being done to tackle youth offending such as intensive case management, our effective Youth Co-Responder Teams and other intervention initiatives.”
In the film, a former youth offender retells how one interaction with a police officer was the catalyst for change in his life.
“The road I was heading on was a very hard one… I was getting in trouble with police.
He said the Youth Co-Responder Team referred him to programs and helped him feel safe to engage with others.
“I started going back to school… looking for a job,” he said.
Youth Crime Taskforce Commander Acting Assistant Commissioner George Marchesini said Policing Youth Offenders illustrates the holistic approach of the Taskforce.
“While community safety is a priority in everything we do, we know we cannot simply arrest our way out of youth crime issues.
“We must continue to focus on early intervention and engagement to prevent the dangerous cycle of reoffending.
“The QPS will continue to work with young people, our community, and partner agencies to keep Queensland safe as we all have a responsibility to make a difference in the lives of young people.”
