New street gang laws ‘unfairly target children’
The police were given new powers to crack down on street gangs; The state government has announced new laws that will allow for the same level of involvement as outlaw motorcycle gangs.
The SA government says the Street Gangs Bill, which passed parliament last week, will disrupt the criminal activities of street gangs and steer people away from gang membership.
“So the police can apply for a particular gang to be declared a street gang, and then we can impose control orders, control who people associate with, where they can go, what they can carry, whether it’s weapons or cash,” Attorney General Kyam Maher said on Sunday. he said.
The laws also create a new standalone crime for adults who recruit new members into street gangs; Higher penalties are foreseen for gang members who collect children.
The government has also introduced legislation that will tighten provisions targeting young people who repeatedly commit serious crimes and impose tougher penalties on them.
But the South Australian Council of Social Services said the laws disproportionately affected children and young people, with adult penalties imposed on 10-year-olds.
“While the Attorney-General has stated that youth crime is not a problem in SA, it is unwarranted that changes to street gangs are being introduced under the guise of addressing youth crime,” the council said in a submission to the government. he said.
“We conclude that the bill reflects overreach and will entrench patterns of harm and criminalization and do little to reduce offending or recidivism.”
Education Center Visitor Shona Reid said the laws would do little to reduce youth crime or make society safer.
“We all want safer communities, but you can’t achieve that goal by locking up more children for longer and with less hope,” Ms Reid said.
“Evidence, including South Australia’s own data, shows that imprisonment increases the likelihood of reoffending.”
Mr Maher said the government had taken into account the views of various stakeholders, including the police and the council, but “our priority must be the safety of the community”.
