YOUTH DETENTION — INQUIRY
715. Ms M.J. DAVIES to the Premier:
I have a supplementary question. Is
the Premier dismissing calls for an inquiry because he knows it will show that
he and his government have failed the children, our community and custodial
officers, or does he simply not care?
Mr M.
McGOWAN replied:
The answer is clearly no. It is a silly
question—a very silly question. Obviously, we have put enormous effort
into youth justice issues and prevention
issues over the years. It was this government that brought forward the Target
120 program, which tries to intervene in families with support measures
so that children do not go into the youth justice system—actual prevention measures. Those were not in place when
the last government was in office. It sent 70 kids to Hakea adult prison. There are currently 10
detainees in unit 18. If the Leader of the Opposition wants to do a direct
mathematical comparison, the former government had seven times as many youths
in adult prison.