Yesterday the Wollongong Children's court virtually ensured that a Blackbutt teenager ( I6 ) would commit further crimes in coming days.
This young man appeared charged with breaking and entering - and he was already on bail for three other offences. These included " destroying property ", " Drug possession " , and more seriously - " Affray in which a stabbing occurred ".
The conditions of previously granted bail had done nothing to stop his crime spree - and yet Magistrate Paul Johnson again granted bail with the condition that he remain at home during the hours of 8 pm to 6 am.
The police opposed bail because their experience of similar offenders indicated that he would treat such conditions with complete contempt - and be certain that when he again appeared before the Children's court - bail would again be forthcoming.
The purpose of a court is two-fold. It is there to punish those who break the law - and to protect the public from further crime by that offender. In this instance - and many more like it - it did neither !
It is probably not the magistrate's fault. The state government recently closed Keerong Juvenile Justice centre and there simply is nowhere to hold repeat criminals until sentencing and the start of rehabilitation.
Sadly, " out of control " teenagers who can thumb their noses at the law go on to become career criminals. Not all will respond to correction, but early action such as remand in a juvenile centre will at least bring some to their senses - and be cost effective.
At present, all we are doing is providing a license to commit further crime !
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