WA Labor has gone on the offensive in the fight against crime announcing several policies over the past week.
The policies included reducing juvenile crime, family and domestic violence and tackling methamphetamine addiction.
The juvenile crime policy would focus on the state’s 120 worst juvenile offenders under a $22million program called Target 120.
The program would bring together police, health, education, corrective services, child protection and sport and recreation to address issues facing the offenders and their families.
Labor leader Mark McGowan said the worst 120 juvenile offenders average 25 or more formal contacts with the police during their adolescence and often come from dysfunctional homes.
“By reintroducing and expanding the family intensive team program we will work with the family homes of the 120 worst juvenile offenders and seek to change their behaviour and reduce crime,” he said.
“This is an evidence-based approach to the problem of serious juvenile crime – specifically targeting the dysfunctional homes of the known 120 worst juvenile offenders.”
The family and domestic violence policy would see two more spaces for women and children escaping violence and a ‘breathing place’ for male perpetrators.
Victims would be able to get more specific violence restraining orders easier and give evidence in a more secure environment.
They would also appoint a minister for the Prevention of Family and Domestic Violence and recommission the WA police domestic violence unit disbanded for the frontline 2020 policing model in 2014.
Mr McGowan said they would increase the number of crisis accommodation services available, as well as make it easier for domestic violence victims to report the abuse and seek support from agencies.
The meth action plan would see a greater focus on rehabilitation including $2 million per annum for treatment facilities to intervene early into dependence.
They would also repurpose Melaleuca and Wandoo prison as dedicated drug and alcohol rehabilitation prisons for non-violent offenders serving short prison sentences.
Mr McGowan said families were desperate for better services to help their drug-addicted loved ones beat the drug and the community was at its wits end with meth-related crime.
“We need a comprehensive, across government strategy that focuses not only on reducing supply but also on prevention, treatment and rehabilitation,” he said.
They also introduced law reforms including a high-risk offenders board; no body, no parole laws; revenge porn offences; and tougher dangerous sex offender laws.
Acting Premier and Police Minister Liza Harvey said the Labor party’s meth action plan did not address some of the biggest issues about meth use.
“There’s nothing in this plan about blocking supply, nothing about enforcement,” she said.
“Those two very important components are completely missing from this plan. “The state government has a comprehensive strategy around methamphetamine use, it’s about driving down demand for the drug, minimising harm and a very comprehensive enforcement strategy.”
She also criticised the repurposing of two prison facilities and questioned how the plan would deal with violent offenders.
“Most of the people in jail for methamphetamine problems are in there for serious offences, these are violent offenders,” she said.
Child protection Minister Andrea Mitchell said Labor’s domestic violence plan was a compliment to the current work the State Government was doing.
