Youth justice 'circuit breaker' draws parallels to Newman-era boot camps

Queensland is launching a new youth justice initiative, dubbed 'Circuit Breaker Sentencing,' which aims to provide an alternative to detention for young offenders. The program, designed to cater to up to 60 youth offenders, will send participants to a remote location for up to six months to engage in structured activities and education, with the goal of rehabilitation.

Youth Justice Minister Laura Gerber stated that the initiative seeks to create "lasting change" by combining "consequences for actions and a genuine opportunity for rehabilitation." Participants will be required to wear electronic monitoring devices. This approach emphasizes a dual focus on accountability and reform, aiming to address reoffending rates.

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Effective youth justice requires both consequences for actions and a genuine opportunity for rehabilitation. It is not one or the other; it is both. Circuit Breaker delivers both.

However, the program has drawn comparisons to the 'boot camp' style initiatives implemented during the Campbell Newman era. An independent report from 2015 found limited evidence that those earlier programs reduced recidivism. Queensland Family and Child Commissioner Luke Twyford stressed the importance of "relationship-based behaviour change" and consistent structure for the program's effectiveness.

Concerns have also been raised by Legal Aid Queensland (LAQ) regarding the lack of a legal requirement for a child's consent to participate. LAQ also highlighted potential barriers to reporting harm due to the remote locations and expressed deep concern over a proposal that could allow providers to avoid reporting harm if it might incriminate them. PeakCare chief executive Kelly Jebb urged the government to learn from past experiences to avoid repeating shortcomings.

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The effectiveness of the Circuit Breaker Program will depend on whether relationship-based behaviour change is the primary mechanism for change, giving young people the opportunity to learn, repair harm and build capability, supported by consistent and predictable structure.