National's plan for youth offenders: Waiouru boot camps and infringement notices for parents

Judges will be able to send the most serious youth offenders to an academy at Waiouru training camp for up to a year, Justice Minister Amy Adams has just announced. Photo / Mark Mitchell

Police will have powers to issue infringement notices to parents of children under 14 found walking the streets without supervision overnight, under National's youth offending policy.

Judges will be able to send the most serious youth offenders to an academy at Waiouru training camp for up to a year, Justice Minister Amy Adams has just announced.

They will get support there to address problems like addiction or a lack of literacy and numeracy skills, helping them lead better lives while keeping the public safe, she said.

"Those who fail to complete their time at the Academy will serve a commensurate adult sentence of imprisonment instead."

It is estimated that approximately 50 YSOs per year will be sent to the Junior Training Academy. $30 million over four years has been allocated to fund the YSO scheme.

Adams said a National Government would take further steps to help prevent less serious young offenders moving into more serious crime involving their parents.

"In many cases, young people who offend have few good role models or are given the freedom to commit crimes.

"We will make changes to hold their parents to account, including by allowing Police to issue instant infringement notices to parents of children under 14 walking the streets without supervision between 12 am and 5 am," she said.

In addition, any breaches of court orders directed at a young person's parent would be recorded on that parent's criminal record.

A loophole meant that could not currently happen.

"We will also introduce a contestable fund of $30 million over four years for community groups to support programmes to reduce offending, because we know local solutions are often the best, and we want to give smaller or rural communities the opportunity to take further action."