Police will hold monthly forums across the Hunter to identify vulnerable youth who are at risk of offending and intervene as part of the state government's youth crime crackdown.
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The measures will be paired with harsher penalties for people who "post and boast", in an attempt to curb the growing trend of crimes being committed and broadcast across social media.
Thieves who break into homes or steal cars and post about their involvement online could face an extra two years in prison under a $26-million state reform package that has promised to improve public safety.
In the Hunter region, police officers will join representatives from the various education, health, communities and justice departments to hold monthly forums to "identify vulnerable youth who are at risk of offending or victimisation of crime".
Minister for the Hunter Yasmin Cately - who also holds the police portfolio - said the Newcastle, Lake Macquarie, Port Stephens-Hunter and Hunter Valley police districts would host community forums as part of the state's plan to connect vulnerable young people to government services where they can find support.
She said the Youth Action Meetings, or YAMs, would help "develop strategies with tangible outcomes to ensure young people are referred to the right services and receive the support they need to have the best shot at life".
"The new Youth Action Meetings in the Hunter are about everyone working together to make sure vulnerable kids have access to the right support," Ms Cately said.
A reform targeted at so-called "posting and boasting" would impose an extra penalty of two years imprisonment for people who commit motor vehicle theft or break-and-enter offences and share material to advertise their involvement in this criminal behaviour, the statement said.
Similarly, amendments to the Bail Act 2013 will include a temporary additional bail test for young people between 14 and 18 who are charged with committing certain serious break-and-enter offences or motor vehicle theft offences while on bail for the same offences.
The provision will be the subject of a statutory review that will take place two years after it begins.
The Hunter's Labor MPs at Port Stephens, Charlestown, Maitland, Cessnock, and Independent Greg Piper, at Lake Macquarie, universally supported the state's plan.
Broader regional crime prevention activities include the expansion of the Safe Aboriginal Youth Patrol Program to an additional five Closing the Gap priority locations, intended to reduce the risk of young Aboriginal people being victims of or involved in crime.
Ms Catley's statement said that the locations would be determined in consultation with communities.
Simon McCarthy
Simon McCarthy is a journalist working at the Newcastle Herald in NSW. He writes news and features, and produces video and multimedia, for the Herald and Herald Weekender magazine. He contributes regularly to the Newcastle Herald’s daily Topics column, and is the co-creator and producer of the Toohey’s News podcast. McCarthy has worked as a journalist in regional NSW since 2013. He joined the newsroom of the Newcastle Herald in 2017 from the Northern Daily Leader in Tamworth where he worked from 2015 to 2016.
Simon McCarthy is a journalist working at the Newcastle Herald in NSW. He writes news and features, and produces video and multimedia, for the Herald and Herald Weekender magazine. He contributes regularly to the Newcastle Herald’s daily Topics column, and is the co-creator and producer of the Toohey’s News podcast. McCarthy has worked as a journalist in regional NSW since 2013. He joined the newsroom of the Newcastle Herald in 2017 from the Northern Daily Leader in Tamworth where he worked from 2015 to 2016.
