Hope for first group of youth offenders starting new military-style boot camp

The first group of participants in a military-style boot camp aimed at turning the lives around of young offenders kicks off today. Photo / File RGP 16Aug17 - PUTTING THE BOOT IN: Boot camp has been tried, without much evidence of success.PHOTO/FILE

The first group of teenagers to take part in the Government’s military-style boot camp now have some hope and will have turned their lives around by the end of it, the Children’s Minister says.

The 10 youth offenders - all young men aged between 15 to 17 years old - begin the boot camp at a youth justice facility in Palmerston North today. A pōwhiri is being held this morning ahead of the camp at the Te Au rere a te Tonga Youth Justice Residence.

They will be there for three months before undergoing a transition back into the community - a process that will take nine months.

Children’s Minister Karen Chhour described what she inherited from the last Government as “absolutely depressing” and acknowledged that this was the start of a new life for those involved.

“These young people were sitting in these youth justice facilities with absolutely no hope,” she told Newstalk ZB’s Mike Hosking this morning.

“Now I know that 10 of these young men actually have some hope as of today.”

Each of the teenagers had committed at least two crimes with a court sentence of at least two crimes with a court sentence of at least 10 years.

Each day would start with a wake-up call at 6.30am and include physical drills, education or employment pathway training, mentoring, whakapapa and cultural connection. Lights go out at 9.30pm.

While each teen’s programme would be different to cater to their needs, the base of the pilot was the same, Chhour said.

“It is around structure, wake up times, lights out times, daily exercise. It’s about keeping their rooms tidy, all that structure and routine the young people need,” she told RNZ.

Chhour said she was not surprised by the amount of “push-back” that had been received in relation to the boot camp idea; particularly during question time in Parliament. Asked if she felt that some people were almost desperate to prove her wrong, she said she did.

“It’s actually quite disappointing because what I would want to see is them to want to see these kids succeed. That’s what we all want.

“We all want a better life for our young people and we all want a safer community. So really can’t understand why people are wishing that this will not succeed.”

Asked how we would know whether the camps were successful, she said it would be when we start to see less harm in our communities.

- Additional reporting: Radio New Zealand