State KAP leader and member for Traeger Robbie Katter has welcomed the initial findings of a government report into Queensland’s Youth Justice System.

“While it may be a case of preaching to the converted, it’s good to see the government is finally acknowledging what the public has known for several years – something different needs to happen,’’ he said.

“The KAP has pushed for a Relocation Sentencing Program for youth offenders for a number of years as a real alternative for a government that has run out of ideas on juvenile crime.

“The Cleveland Bay youth detention centre is well over capacity, we know crime rates in regional areas such as Townsville and Cairns suburbs have a shown a marked increase while a recent poll in Mount Isa found 60 per cent of residents rated youth crime as their biggest concern.

“While the government is making an effort to tackle the problem of youth crime, such as special police operations, it is not addressing the underlying issues.

“Youth unemployment stands at 67 per cent in the North West compared to a state average of 12.2 per cent.

“These kids need the option of getting a job and they are often caught in a cycle of welfare dependence with mum and dad often unemployed as well, which can lead to other issues such as domestic violence and alcohol abuse.

“For many of these kids being on the street is a safer option for them.’’

Recommendations from the report include reducing the number of young people in youth detention and options to divert young people away from the Youth Justice System.

Mr Katter said he wanted magistrates to have the power to impose a relocation sentence on repeat juvenile offenders which would immediately take the offenders away from their destructive environment and immediately help break their cycle of offending.

“Developing a suitable property to house a relocation facility in remote North West Queensland is the first step we need to take,’’ he said.

“It would be a place where these kids would be sent to work on the land to learn life skills which will help them become better members of society.

“Locking kids away, often with much more experienced criminals, will only perpetuate the crime cycle.

“Relocation sentencing will also reduce the cost of housing young offenders in detention which is estimated to be more than $500,000 a year.’’