Childrens Court of Queensland Fifth Annual Report 1997-1998 CHILDRENS COURT OF QUEENSLAND Chambers of the President November 1998 The Honourable Matt Foley MLA Attorney-General and Minister for Justice and Minister for the Arts Sir, In accordance with the requirements of s.22 of the Childrens Court Act 1992, I have the honour to submit to you for presentation in Parliament the Fifth Annual Report of the Childrens Court of Queensland for 1997-98. Judge McGuire President of the Childrens Court of Queensland Childrens Court, 30-40 Quay Sreet, Brisbane, Q 4000. Telephone: (07) 3365 9841 Facsimile: (07) 3365 9890 Childrens Court of Queensland Annual Report 1997-98 I TABLE OF CONTENTS 1. JUVENILE CRIME: TRENDS IN 1997-98 .............. 6 2. INTRODUCTION .............................. 7 Divided opinion ......................... 7 The role of the Courts ..................... 7 Legislative re-direction .................... 8 Looking back ........................... 8 The horse has bolted ..................... 8 Statistics .............................. 9 Public concern .......................... 9 Key factors ............................ 10 3. REFORMS IN BRITAIN AND CANADA: A MODEL TO FOLLOW. 11 A 'crime ti mebomb' ..................... 11 Proposed reforms ....................... 11 Public protection first .................... 12 Measures in the Crime and Disorder Bill ...... 12 Queensland legislators should take note ...... 13 Strategies - short and long term ............ 14 Governments and the moral issue ........... 14 4. THE AUGUST AMENDMENTS ..................... 15 5. THE RIGHT OF ELECTION : FLAWED AND DISCREDITED ..... 16 An 'optional' court ...................... 16 A subversive element .................... 16 Side-stepping the Court .................. 16 Administrative imbroglio ................. 16 A grave deception ...................... 17 Perplexed ............................ 17 Clear choices .......................... 17 6. THE AGE OF CRIMINAL RESPONSIBILITY: THE DOLT INCAPAX RULE .................................... 18 Criticisms of the rule .................... 18 Connolly recommendation rejected.......... 21 Undesirable consequences of the rule ........ 22 Cruel Irony ........................... 22 My own recommendation ................. 22 The English reaction ..................... 23 Parliamentary debate .................... 23 Follow by example ...................... 24 Childrens Court of Queensland Annual Report 1997-98 I TABLE OF CONTENTS I 7. SENTENCING: THE VALUE OF GUIDELINES ............. 25 An earnest plea ........................ 25 Truth in sentencing ...................... 25 Detention and Training orders (England) ...... 26 Public clamouring for protection ............ 26 Rationale for mandatory sentences .......... 27 Britain ............................... 27 Western Australia ....................... 28 Northern Territory ....................... 28 An emotive issue ....................... 28 Force of public opinion .................. 29 Sentencing guidelines .................... 29 Strong vindication ...................... 30 Judge shopping ........................ 30 Political rumblings ...................... 31 The Courier-Mail: idiosyncrasies and prejudices 31 Sentencing policy for juveniles ............. 32 The Juvenile Justice Act: sentencing principles. 33 8. CAUTIONS - FINAL WARNINGS ................... 35 Statutory cautioning ..................... 35 Over-use of cautions .............. ...... 35 An analysis ........................... 39 No victim involvement ................... 40 Cautioning v. community conferencing ....... 40 A 'mop up' ........................... 40 A tightening of caution procedures in England. 41 Cautions cited in Court . .................. 41 A report on community conferencing by Gerard Palk ................................. 42 9. DRUGS AND CRIMES .. ........................ 45 The single greatest menace ................ 45 Queensland Drug Foundation Address . ...... 45 The drug epidemic ...................... 46 Opinions from the Bench ................. 47 Promote a drug-free society ............... 47 Eight out of ten ......................... 49 A drug addicted generation ................ 49 I 3 I Childrens Court of Queensland Annual Report 1997-98 I TABLE OF CONTENTS I A policy decision ....................... 50 Drug treatment and testing orders ........... 50 Hope, not despair ...................... 51 10. THE DECLINE OF DISCIPLINE: PLEASE CAN I SMACK MY CHILD ? .................. 52 The right to discipline .................... 52 Exposition of the law .................... 52 The common law ....................... 53 The Criminal Code ...................... 54 Corporal punishment banned in schools ...... 55 Fresh justice is sweetest .................. 56 Attitudes change ....................... 56 A notable decision ...................... 57 European Court of Human Rights intervenes ... 58 The Times comments .................... 58 Model Criminal Code proposal ............. 59 Biblical authority ....................... 60 11. PARENTAL RESPONSIBILITY AND PARENTAL PARTICIPATION ................... 61 Family first line of defence against crime ...... 61 Dysfunctional parents .................... 61 Parental involvement .................... 61 The power to compel parental attendance ..... 62 England leads the way ................... 63 Power to compel necessary but to be used wisely ........................... 64 12. PROCEDURES ADOPTED ........................ 65 No soppy sentimentality .................. 65 Children on the Bench ................... 65 A prophetic vindication .................. 66 A model Court ......................... 67 13. PUBLICATION OF CHILDRENS COURT PROCEEDINGS AND OFFENDERS' NAMES ............ ........... 68 Justification for banning publication ......... 68 The statute law ......................... 68 Lack of a consistent policy ................ 71 England relaxes rules .................... 72 Press should have free access to juvenile Courts 73 Childrens Court of Queensland Annual Report 1997-98 TABLE OF CONTENTS 1 Should juvenile offenders be named ? ........ 73 14. PUBLIC I NFORMATION AND EDUCATION ............. 75 An austere judiciary ..................... 75 Break down the wall of reticence ........... 75 Community education ................... 75 Judicial opinions ....................... 76 School children should attend Court ......... 77 Public addresses ........................ 78 15. ABORIGINAL ISSUES: MR BONNER'S CONTRIBUTION ..... 81 Community Courts ...................... 81 Recommendations ...................... 81 An invitation to Mr Bonner A.O ............. 82 Mr Bonner's response .................... 82 Contribution to the Childrens Court Annual Report ............................... 82 Causes and Prevention of Youth Crime ....... 83 Equitable and Effective Administration of justice 84 Customary Law ........................ 84 Aboriginal Assistants in Court .............. 85 Interpreters in Court ..................... 85 Family members in Court ................. 86 Role of Elders and other Respected. Persons in the Community ...................... 87 Conclusion ........................... 88 Moderate voice of reconciliation............ 88 Mr Bonner's proposals merit government endorsement .......................... 88 16. CAUSES OF CRIME ........................... 89 17. THE MORAL DIMENSION ....................... 91 18. EPILOGUE ................................. 96 19. STATISTICAL TABLES .......................... 98 20. A TRIBUTE TO THE C.S.U ...................... 155 Childrens Court of Queensland Annual Report 1997-98 one I JUVENILE CRIME: TRENDS IN 1997-98 I 7,404 juveniles had their cases disposed in all Queensland courts in 1997-98, an increase of 891 (13.7%) over 1996-97. 24,652 charges against juveniles were disposed in all Queensland courts in1997-98, an increase of 4,538 (22.6%) over last year. 13,579 police cautions were administered to juveniles for offences committed in 1997-98, a decrease of 1,524 (10.1%). In 1997-98, the Magistrates Court disposed 86.2 per cent of juvenile defendants, the Childrens Court of Queensland 1.8 per cent, the District Court 11.8 per cent and the Supreme Court 0.1 per cent. There was a 32.8 per cent reduction from 1996-97 in the number of defendants before the Childrens Court of Queensland (from 201 to 135). The proportion of boys to girls before the courts in 1997-98 was 84.5 per cent boys to 15.5 per cent girls. The worst offending age group was 16 year olds (2,745) and 15 year olds (1,885). Together they made up 62.5 percent of defendants. Twenty-three children aged ten years appeared before the court in 1997-98. Penalties imposed: 5.0 per cent of offenders received a detention order; 3.2 per cent received a suspended detention order (referred to as an immediate release order); and 39.1 per cent received community based orders (probation or community service); no penalty or reprimand was the outcome for 22.1 per cent. The most common offence types in 1997-98 were breaking, entering and stealing (including car theft), 14,315 charges compared with 11,245 in the previous year, an increase of 27.3 per cent. In 1997-98, 1,177 drug charges against juveniles were disposed in all courts - an increase of 243 (26.0%) from 1996-97. 2,371 cautions were administered by police for drug offences - a decrease of 162 (6.4%) from 1996-97. 271 robbery charges were disposed in 1997-98 compared with 248 in 1996-97 - an increase of 9.3 per cent. 8 homicide charges against juvenile (five murder and