Young people in juvenile detention are costing the state five times more than it would cost to send them to the best private schools in the country, according to youth worker Les Twentyman.
Mr Twentyman urged the state government to be proactive and spend the money on putting youth workers in schools. He said government figures showed it was forking
out about $150,000 a year on each child in juvenile detention.
That figure increases to more than $200,000 for inmates battling mental health problems or drug and alcohol abuse.
Some of Australia’s most expensive private schools – including Geelong Grammar and the Ascham and Cranbrook schools in Sydney – charge upwards of $30,000 a year.
“It’s not giving any benefits to the community” Mr Twentyman said.
‘‘For half the cost of keeping one individual in prison for a year, a youth worker could be employed in the school system to help keep dozens of kids in school and out of trouble.”
Mr Twentyman said poor school attendance rates, gangs and a methamphetamine epidemic meant many young people were in and out of juvenile detention.
A Star Weekly report in June revealed that up to 20 per cent of western suburbs children under 16 don’t go to school.
The LeadWest study, Education and Engagement in Melbourne’s West, found that 2686 children aged 10 to 14 were not in education at the time of the 2011 census, while 57 per cent of young people aged 15 to 19 were not in any education, employment or training. “[Being out of school] is a recipe for major social issues around gangs, drugs and other things,” Mr Twentyman said.
