The Green Party has expressed strong opposition to the proposed boot camps, citing concerns over past failures and potential harm to rangatahi (young people).
The legislation, which aims to set up boot camps for young offenders, has passed its first reading. However, Tamatha Paul, the Green Party's spokesperson for Justice, argues that this approach will only exacerbate the issues facing at-risk youth. "Boot camps are a shallow attempt by the Government to appear tough on crime," she claims.
The policy has been criticized for lacking safeguards and being introduced before the pilot program is evaluated. Furthermore, concerns have been raised regarding the military-style settings and potential reoffending among participants. One young person in the pilot reportedly reoffended, highlighting the shortcomings of this approach.
Paul also drew parallels with the Royal Inquiry into Abuse in State Care, which exposed horrific abuse at boot camps in the past. The Government's apology for these abuses seems hollow given its continued support for the policy. In contrast, community wrap-around support services have been shown to be effective in reducing repeat offending among at-risk youth. These initiatives were cut by the Government despite their success.
The Green Party is urging the Government to reconsider its approach and focus on providing meaningful support to rangatahi in need.