The Andrews Labor Government is providing Victoria Police with the resources they need to crackdown on young offenders involved in serious crimes with the roll-out of a new police position, Youth Specialist Officers.
The Labor Government provided funding for 42 new Youth Specialist Officers as a part of its historic $2 billion investment in the Community Safety Statement 2017.
The new position will see officers working with serious recidivist youth offenders, aged between 10 and 20-years-old, who are involved in serious crimes and network offending including evading police, assaults, aggravated burglaries, carjackings and anti-social behaviour.
The officers will work closely with Victoria Police investigators, Youth Resource Officers, police prosecutors and frontline members, to share information and provide greater coordination when responding to youth offending, to target their behaviour and reduce harm to the community.
Victoria Police has started recruiting for the first eight YSOs, who will be deployed in July, while the remaining positions will be deployed by the end of the year.
YSOs officers will have specific skills and will be given training to deal with young people, with the officers to be deployed to locations across the state.
We have also introduced sweeping reforms to the youth justice system to make sure serious young offenders face meaningful consequences.
This includes longer detention periods that can be imposed by the Children’s Court and stronger and more intensive measures to supervise and monitor young people in the community.
At the same time, the Government is supporting young Victorians to ensure they have access to the education, training and support they need to stay away from crime.
Quotes attributable to Minister for Police Lisa Neville
“These new Youth Specialist Officers will provide a targeted response to reduce serious youth offending and those causing harm in the community.”
“This new role will ensure Victoria Police can better respond to the youth crimes that will not be tolerated in our state –such as aggravated burglaries and car jackings.”
Quote attributable to Minister for Families and Children Jenny Mikakos
“Tackling youth crime requires a whole of government approach, that’s why we’re investing in new police and specialist roles so they can best deal with young people.”
Reviewed 19 August 2020