ID :
210860
Mon, 10/03/2011 - 12:53
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http://m.oananews.org//node/210860
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Aboriginal offending brutal fact: WA govt
SYDNEY (AAP) - Oct. 03 - West Australian Indigenous Affairs Minister Peter Collier says the police commissioner is being "brutally frank" by highlighting that young Aboriginal men are behind most of the burglaries in the state.
But the comments have angered the head of the state's Aboriginal Legal Service (ALS), who claims they do nothing to address the problem of Aboriginal offending and "feed the fears" of the community.
On Monday, WA Police Commissioner Karl O'Callaghan said the issue of offending by young Aboriginal males had become an "elephant in the room which nobody seems to want to talk about publicly".
Writing in the West Australian newspaper, Mr O'Callaghan said 61 per cent of the juveniles "breaking into your homes" were Aboriginal males.
"Since no one else seems to want to say this, I will," he wrote.
"We have an extremely serious problem with Aboriginal juvenile offending and their representation in the justice system when compared with the portion of the population they represent is nothing short of staggering."
ALS chief executive Dennis Eggington said he was "flabbergasted" why the police commissioner would highlight what had been known since the 1991 Royal Commission into Aboriginal deaths in custody.
"It seems to me once again we're feeding the fears of our general community about young, black men ... in this state," Mr Eddington told Fairfax Radio.
"There's enough racial prejudice, enough doors, enough barriers to stop us from getting the community on board."
While Mr Eggington objected to Mr O'Callaghan's singling out of young Aboriginal men, they both agreed more police, increased police powers and tougher penalties wouldn't solve the issue.
The ALS head says there needs to be a greater focus on prevention and intervention, including adopting a justice reinvestment program which targets disadvantaged communities.
Money saved from reduced crime, reoffending and the lessened burden on prisons is then put back into community services.
Mr Collier defended the police commissioner, saying he was being "brutally frank" by highlighting the fact there was a disproportionate number of Aboriginal males in the justice system.
"What we've got to do as a government is do something about it and not play the blame game," he told reporters.
The minister said in the past year there had been a 14 per cent increase in the number of Aboriginal people in training programs and the government had boosted funds for Indigenous youth programs.
Opposition Leader Eric Ripper said Mr O'Callaghan comments illustrated the government's "tough on crime" agenda had failed, and endorsed his party's justice reinvestment policy.
The government has previously rejected the need for a justice reinvestment program because it says it already pumps millions of dollars a year into community building programs aimed at reducing crime.
Mr Collier said it was more important Aboriginal students were given an "unambiguous message ... that they can make a valuable contribution to the community, and as individuals, open doors which will be life-long".
"So employment opportunities are the best way to change the lifestyle of young Aboriginal males."
But the comments have angered the head of the state's Aboriginal Legal Service (ALS), who claims they do nothing to address the problem of Aboriginal offending and "feed the fears" of the community.
On Monday, WA Police Commissioner Karl O'Callaghan said the issue of offending by young Aboriginal males had become an "elephant in the room which nobody seems to want to talk about publicly".
Writing in the West Australian newspaper, Mr O'Callaghan said 61 per cent of the juveniles "breaking into your homes" were Aboriginal males.
"Since no one else seems to want to say this, I will," he wrote.
"We have an extremely serious problem with Aboriginal juvenile offending and their representation in the justice system when compared with the portion of the population they represent is nothing short of staggering."
ALS chief executive Dennis Eggington said he was "flabbergasted" why the police commissioner would highlight what had been known since the 1991 Royal Commission into Aboriginal deaths in custody.
"It seems to me once again we're feeding the fears of our general community about young, black men ... in this state," Mr Eddington told Fairfax Radio.
"There's enough racial prejudice, enough doors, enough barriers to stop us from getting the community on board."
While Mr Eggington objected to Mr O'Callaghan's singling out of young Aboriginal men, they both agreed more police, increased police powers and tougher penalties wouldn't solve the issue.
The ALS head says there needs to be a greater focus on prevention and intervention, including adopting a justice reinvestment program which targets disadvantaged communities.
Money saved from reduced crime, reoffending and the lessened burden on prisons is then put back into community services.
Mr Collier defended the police commissioner, saying he was being "brutally frank" by highlighting the fact there was a disproportionate number of Aboriginal males in the justice system.
"What we've got to do as a government is do something about it and not play the blame game," he told reporters.
The minister said in the past year there had been a 14 per cent increase in the number of Aboriginal people in training programs and the government had boosted funds for Indigenous youth programs.
Opposition Leader Eric Ripper said Mr O'Callaghan comments illustrated the government's "tough on crime" agenda had failed, and endorsed his party's justice reinvestment policy.
The government has previously rejected the need for a justice reinvestment program because it says it already pumps millions of dollars a year into community building programs aimed at reducing crime.
Mr Collier said it was more important Aboriginal students were given an "unambiguous message ... that they can make a valuable contribution to the community, and as individuals, open doors which will be life-long".
"So employment opportunities are the best way to change the lifestyle of young Aboriginal males."
