By Jonathon Howard
Teenagers and children as young as 12 years old are running amuck across Stanthorpe and Warwick; and residents are fed up.
Complaints have ranged from loitering and vandalism; to violent behaviour; and drug and alcohol use.
Youth unemployment rates have also skyrocketed across the Southern Downs South West, with figures revealing 24 per cent of 15 to 19-year-olds were now unemployed, and 13.9 per cent of 15 to 24-year-olds were also jobless, , according to figures from SD Employment.
The finger is being pointed at parents, police and the courts, which some residents believe are too lenient and have expressed the need for “tough love”.
Suggestions for solving the issue range from the use of military style boot camps (a program recently started in northern Queensland by the State Government), tougher monetary penalties, and even public lashings as suggested in a recent Free Times letter to the editor.
The youth situation has escalated to the point where Stanthorpe Shire Council has recently approved a further 18 CCTV cameras, to protect residents and provide video evidence of criminal activity to police.
One Stanthorpe elderly resident recently came face-to-face with a group of youths while attempting to use a public bathroom. Words were exchanged and the youngsters then made it their goal to scare and insult the man.
Stanthorpe Police Senior Sergeant Mark Ireland said he was familiar with the youths in question and the appropriate action had being taken.
Snr Sgt Ireland said he wanted to assure residents that police were doing all they can to address the Stanthorpe issue, which he said had arisen during the school holidays, after several youngsters did not return to school.
“In this particular case, of the Stanthorpe incident, words were exchanged on both sides and the matter was dealt with appropriately,” he said.
Snr Sgt Ireland acknowledged that there were ongoing issues with troublesome youths, but denied that police were powerless to act.
“Police have many powers in situations of public nuisance or further criminal behaviour; we will not simply sit by and let this occur, however evidence is crucial in these cases and often just having an issue with a local youngster is not enough,” he said.
Snr Sgt Ireland said officers were also experiencing a complete lack of respect and disregard for police authority from some youths, which he felt was directly related to parenting.
“It comes back to the parents,” he said. “We can be on a routine patrol during the late hours of a night and find young kids wandering the streets.”
While the issues are well known, finding solutions is proving difficult.
Several organisations are attempting to address the problem proactively, by finding ways to connect with troublesome youths and putting them on the straight and narrow.
Warwick Christian Community Hub coordinator Owen Bonney has, with support from Federal Government funding, started a youth development program.
The program started in January this year and has 23 students enrolled.
Mr Bonney said the program takes kids from varying backgrounds and with varying degrees of misbehaviour, or those who had failed to meet public school requirements.
Mr Bonney said much of the issue related to relationships.
“Relationships with their family, their friends and other adults,” he said. “When a child is cared for and there’s structure in the home, there’s less difficulties.”
Mr Booney works one-on-one with each of his students to understand their problems, and assist them towards a resolution.
Automotive mechanic and TAFE trainer Bob Bingham volunteers his time at the Christian Community Hub, and said it was often a case of giving a child ownership.
“Kids need to know they are a part of something, with a set goal and some structure,” he said.
“There’s too much emphasis on trying to get kids through Year 12 and on to higher education, and a failure to see that maybe they could do better on the job or in a TAFE program.”
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