WA: WA govt name and shame plan "medieval", academic says

AAP General News (Australia)
12-02-2009
WA: WA govt name and shame plan "medieval", academic says

By Andrea Hayward

PERTH, Dec 2 AAP - A plan by the West Australian government to name and shame repeat
juvenile offenders in an internet "rogues gallery" has been labelled as medieval by an
academic.

WA Attorney-General Christian Porter announced a hard line on young, antisocial recidvists
under a bill tabled in the WA parliament on Tuesday.

State cabinet has backed the introduction of the Prohibited Behaviour Orders Bill,
which would empower courts to make civil orders when dealing with repeat offenders aged
over 14.

Under the proposed legislation, the court would have the discretion to releasespublicise
offenders' details, including their name, a photo of them, the suburb where they live
and the terms of the prohibited behaviour order on a government website.

The orders could be issued for behaviour including alcohol-fuelled violence, graffiti,
bad behaviour on public transport, hooning and arson and would be in addition to any criminal
penalty.

Under the proposed legislation any breach of the order would be a criminal offence
with a maximum penalty of two years jail or $6000 in the magistrates court or childrens
court or up to five years jail or a fine of $10,000 in higher jurisdictions.

RMIT University juvenile justice expert Julian Bondy said public shaming was counter
productive and "a little bit medieval".

"It's basically the modern-day equivalent of putting people in the stocks," Associate
Professor Bondy said.

"The research shows it's only effective in very specific circumstances and these do
not include simply producing a rogues gallery for public pillory."

The focus for juvenile offenders should be rehabilitation rather than retribution,
Assoc Prof Bondy said.

"The point is to give young people a chance to change direction, to support them in
moving away from criminal and anti-social behaviour, which public shaming will not help
to achieve," he said.

The publication of the orders would apply to both adult and juvenile offenders.

The legislation has been tabled as a bill for public comment.

AAP ah/

KEYWORD: SHAME

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