Once a troubled teen himself, Dirk Zarb Cousin wants to see more done to engage young people in Perth's north-western suburbs so they don't engage in crime.
When Dirk Zarb Cousin sees teenagers skipping school and graffiti tags on buildings in Perth's north-western suburbs, he is disappointed 'nothing' has changed to engage young people since he was a bored teenager committing crimes in the area.
Over the past five years, WA Police recorded 2,499 individual young offenders in the vast Joondalup police district, the highest number across all metropolitan patrol areas.Graffiti and vandalism are issues in Perth's north-west metro suburbs."I think it hasn't changed much at all. There are still groups of youth around getting up to no good because there is really nothing for them to do around here," he said.
"Smashed glass, smashed doors, [the offenders] were wearing balaclavas and gloves and going through the till," he said.Several businesses were targeted during a crime spree in May this year.Despite the growing population and a high number of troublemakers, a recent report adopted by the City of Wanneroo highlighted the lack of youth diversionary services in the area.
"If you listen to the stakeholders in the north-west metro, the need is urgent and they would like to see progress on plans for a major facility in the coming year or two." "We know family and domestic violence, alcohol and other drugs, learning difficulties, bullying, fetal alcohol syndrome [are impacting] the behaviour of young people and also offending rates as well," he said.
Australia Latest News, Australia Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
NSW pensioners to get free RATs once again, from todayPensioners and other concession card holders will be given free rapid antigen tests in NSW under a state government program to run until the end of October.
Read more »
Will business be outmanoeuvred once again at the jobs summit?A decade and half after the demise WorkChoices, it seems remarkable that no clear vision for the future of the workplace system will unite all the representatives of business at the Jobs and Skills Summit.
Read more »
Sam Campbell once joked about killing me – but the Aussie comedian’s Edinburgh win is well-deserved | Brian LoganThe baby-faced oddball has gone from performing to tiny audiences to winning live comedy’s most coveted prize, the Edinburgh festival fringe comedy award
Read more »
A blood-soaked Lady Gaga once shocked the world. It’s time for artists to get radical againLady Gaga used her 2009 VMAs performance to transform from a kooky pop darling to certified mega-icon. Can someone else find the courage to follow suit?
Read more »
Rail chaos will end if workers get pay rise above wages cap, union boss saysCommuters will once again face massive disruptions across Sydney’s rail network on Wednesday as the unions and the government remain at loggerheads.
Read more »
‘Personal responsibility’ needed when it comes to COVID isolationHealth Services Union State Secretary Gerard Hayes says Australia is at the point with COVID where “personal responsibility” is important. Victoria and New South Wales are divided over whether to reduce the country's standard week-long COVID isolation period and allow all workers to return once they receive a negative COVID test result. “COVID is not going away, it’s another infectious disease that we’ve got to learn to live with and I think the community is mature enough to understand personal responsibility is a good way forward,” Mr Hayes told Sky News Australia.
Read more »