Youth Crime Flashcards
Introduction
We need to prevent this from happening. And we can, we can stop this, all we need are *fixed minimum periods of detention for teenagers convicted of gross violence. Between 2011 and 2015, there were 317,960 offences committed by people aged between 10 and 19. The average offences per person was over 2, meaning that ifwe had fixed minimum periods, we could reduce the offences by more than half. There needs tobe fixed minimum periods of detention for teenagers convicted of gross violence. If there were, teenagers would be deterred from acting violent and our community would be protected and peaceful.
A1 Statistics
Current sentencing laws simply fail to deliver penalties that will deter potential offenders. *25% of offenders convicted of intentionally causing serious injury are in jail for two years or less. 25%of offenders causing this are getting less than 2 years.
A2 Send a message
We need to make it clear that those who deliberately cause horrific injuries will spend a long time behind bars. We have to show teenagers that violent attacks on innocent people will not be tolerated.
A3 What is happening
At the moment, violent teenagers are committing these horrific crimes because they know they can get away with them without harsh punishment. How can we let this happen? If fixed minimum sentences were introduced, these violent teenagers will know that they won’t get away with committing thesehorrors and they’ll stop, it’s as simple as that.
B1 Protection > Rehab
Fixed minimum sentences wouldn’t just deter potential offenders, it would help protect our community. Too often judges give out tiny sentences to teenagers in hopes of rehabilitation and too often the judges are wrong, *more than 34% of teenagers convicted of crime will reoffend. We need to stop this from happening, a judges first priority needs tobe the protection of our community, then rehabilitation. The only way to achieve this is by restricting violent teenagers, and todo that, we need fixed minimum sentences.
B2 Rebuttal - Special Circumstances
It’s often argued that having fixed minimum sentences would not allow judges to take into account special circumstances, and this simply isn’t true, if there are exceptional circumstances in a case, the judge will not have to follow the minimum sentences but when someone inflicts intentional gross violence on innocent people, the community needs tobe protected, rehabilitation cannot be the only consideration when sentencing teenage offenders.
B3 out of line
The sentences currently being applied are out of line with what we need to keep us safe. If we keep offenders in detention, they can’t re-offend and inflict our community with gross violence.
C1 - Rebuttal
People argue that fixed minimum periods will not help rehabilitate offenders and I agree but it’s not just about rehabilitation, it’s about keeping Victoria and thus Australia a peaceful place to live and I need to stress the fact that these sentences would only apply to acts of gross violence like this that can damage or even ruin somebody’s life.
C2 Gross violence
*Gross violence includes the use of weapons, gang attacks and many more horrific crimes. These bashings, stabbings and other horrors go way beyond mere street brawls. They are part of a new culture of violence that has changed our peaceful way of life.
C3 Australia’s peace
*This year Australia was ranked the 12th most peaceful country, but in 2015 Australia was 9th, we need to get back to 9th, and fixed minimum periods of detention would help keep the peace through deterring and protecting.
Conclusion
*This is Augustine. Just last month, three teenage girls slashed him repeatedly with a knife and left him bleeding and begging for help in Sunshine North. These are the type of incidents that can be prevented with fixed minimum periods of detention. Minimum sentences would protect us and prevent this from happening. Thank you.
