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| Western Australia: children stealing food because they are not being fed at home | Western Australia: children stealing food because they are not being fed at home |
| (about 1 month later) | |
| Researchers from Edith Cowan University say many have fallen through the gaps of child protective services | |
| Calla Wahlquist | |
| Tue 12 Dec 2017 05.59 GMT | |
| Last modified on Tue 12 Dec 2017 06.01 GMT | |
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| Children are breaking into houses to steal food because they are not being fed at home and many have fallen through the gaps of child protective services, according to a new study. | Children are breaking into houses to steal food because they are not being fed at home and many have fallen through the gaps of child protective services, according to a new study. |
| Researchers from Edith Cowan University interviewed 87 children aged between 11 and 17 who had been brought before the Western Australian children’s court in the first half of 2017. | Researchers from Edith Cowan University interviewed 87 children aged between 11 and 17 who had been brought before the Western Australian children’s court in the first half of 2017. |
| More than half of the interviewees were facing a charge of burglary. Of those, 20% said they broke into houses in search of food. | More than half of the interviewees were facing a charge of burglary. Of those, 20% said they broke into houses in search of food. |
| “I got stuff from the freezer,” one respondent said. “I go for the food but I didn’t take anything else.” | “I got stuff from the freezer,” one respondent said. “I go for the food but I didn’t take anything else.” |
| Criminologist Natalie Gately said the majority of burglaries conducted by children were crimes of opportunity and took place in groups in the middle of the day. Most targeted money or jewellery, but those who looked for food appeared motivated only by hunger. | Criminologist Natalie Gately said the majority of burglaries conducted by children were crimes of opportunity and took place in groups in the middle of the day. Most targeted money or jewellery, but those who looked for food appeared motivated only by hunger. |
| “The kids who stole food were only going in for food and the implication was that no, they are not getting it at home,” Gately said. “There’s no parents at home saying to them: get up, have some breakfast, brush your teeth, go to school. That daily supervision and monitoring is missing.” | “The kids who stole food were only going in for food and the implication was that no, they are not getting it at home,” Gately said. “There’s no parents at home saying to them: get up, have some breakfast, brush your teeth, go to school. That daily supervision and monitoring is missing.” |
| Gately said the research was initially conducted as a crime prevention tool, to learn how young people were targeting houses. | Gately said the research was initially conducted as a crime prevention tool, to learn how young people were targeting houses. |
| But the findings indicated high levels of exposure to domestic violence, parental incarceration, homelessness and disconnection from any form of schooling or supervision, which she said could not be addressed through the criminal justice system. | But the findings indicated high levels of exposure to domestic violence, parental incarceration, homelessness and disconnection from any form of schooling or supervision, which she said could not be addressed through the criminal justice system. |
| Of the 87 children interviewed, only nine said they attend school “regularly” and 47 said they had either been expelled or suspended. | Of the 87 children interviewed, only nine said they attend school “regularly” and 47 said they had either been expelled or suspended. |
| One 11-year-old said they had not to their knowledge been enrolled in school. “I don’t know where it is,” they said. | One 11-year-old said they had not to their knowledge been enrolled in school. “I don’t know where it is,” they said. |
| Researchers were not permitted to ask direct questions about exposure to family violence, but Gately said from the answers they gave only seven of the children appeared not to have been exposed. | Researchers were not permitted to ask direct questions about exposure to family violence, but Gately said from the answers they gave only seven of the children appeared not to have been exposed. |
| Two-thirds of the children reported drinking alcohol, with one reporting having tried their first drink at age eight, and a significant number also reported drug use, mainly cannabis. | Two-thirds of the children reported drinking alcohol, with one reporting having tried their first drink at age eight, and a significant number also reported drug use, mainly cannabis. |
| “I have had 12-year-olds replying that they are taking cannabis every day to take a break from life,” she said. “For 12-year-olds to be saying that they need a break from life, that’s a bad sign.” | “I have had 12-year-olds replying that they are taking cannabis every day to take a break from life,” she said. “For 12-year-olds to be saying that they need a break from life, that’s a bad sign.” |
| Most children had memories of interacting with a police officer when they were as young as six-years-old, an encounter most described as police coming to their house in response to family violence or another incident. | Most children had memories of interacting with a police officer when they were as young as six-years-old, an encounter most described as police coming to their house in response to family violence or another incident. |
| More than a third reported having at least one family member incarcerated during their lifetime, and three-quarters said a member of their family had previous contact with the justice system. | More than a third reported having at least one family member incarcerated during their lifetime, and three-quarters said a member of their family had previous contact with the justice system. |
| Those whose fathers had been incarcerated were able to cope better than those whose mother had been jailed, Gately said. | Those whose fathers had been incarcerated were able to cope better than those whose mother had been jailed, Gately said. |
| “The ones who seemed to be the most angry and the most distressed were the ones whose mum was jailed,” she said, adding that jailing a mother would “punish the whole family”. | “The ones who seemed to be the most angry and the most distressed were the ones whose mum was jailed,” she said, adding that jailing a mother would “punish the whole family”. |
| She said those with an active child protection caseworker appeared to be doing slightly better than those who shuffled between the houses of multiple family members and friends. | She said those with an active child protection caseworker appeared to be doing slightly better than those who shuffled between the houses of multiple family members and friends. |
| “These kids lives are really chaotic and really transient,” Gately said. “They keep getting moved around and given to different caregivers.” | “These kids lives are really chaotic and really transient,” Gately said. “They keep getting moved around and given to different caregivers.” |
| Two-thirds of the children had already been remanded or detained in Perth’s Banksia Hill youth detention centre before being brought before the court on their current charges. | Two-thirds of the children had already been remanded or detained in Perth’s Banksia Hill youth detention centre before being brought before the court on their current charges. |
| Conditions at Banksia Hill were compared to Darwin’s Don Dale youth detention facility in a damning report this year. | Conditions at Banksia Hill were compared to Darwin’s Don Dale youth detention facility in a damning report this year. |
| “Clearly the fact that the majority of them had already been in detention once is showing that it’s not acting as a deterrent,” she said. “We would like to see detention abolished and find alternative ways of handling these offenders.” | “Clearly the fact that the majority of them had already been in detention once is showing that it’s not acting as a deterrent,” she said. “We would like to see detention abolished and find alternative ways of handling these offenders.” |
| Among the alternative options are intensive neonatal support for new parents to help them support and care for their children; drug and alcohol programs for parents; and alternative schooling options for those who have fallen behind or do not fit in to a mainstream schooling environment. | Among the alternative options are intensive neonatal support for new parents to help them support and care for their children; drug and alcohol programs for parents; and alternative schooling options for those who have fallen behind or do not fit in to a mainstream schooling environment. |
| Gately said punitive approaches did not work. | Gately said punitive approaches did not work. |
| “It has to be framed as saving children,” she said. “At 11 years old you are not a young adult, you are a child still.” | “It has to be framed as saving children,” she said. “At 11 years old you are not a young adult, you are a child still.” |
| Crime - Australia | |
| Western Australia | |
| Children | |
| news | |
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