CANBERRA — The issue of youth crime in city and suburban centres here has been receiving much media attention. The supposed increase in youth crime, however, is questioned by DAVID MATTHEWS, coordinator of the youth information and advocacy service Pathways. Canberra Resistance member JUSTINE KAMPRAD spoke to him about the escalating harassment of young people in the nation's capital.
Question: How extensive is youth harassment in Canberra, and is it increasing?
We see all sorts of young people who are being harassed by police and other people. Young people who hang out in Garema Place and Civic in the city centre have been accused of drug dealing, or generally just being suspicious simply because they are young.
But such harassment is not limited to Canberra. The NSW government is looking at legislation giving cops the right to ask young people for their name and address, even though they are not guilty or suspected of any crime.
We have observed a lot more tension between young people and the police and others such as shopkeepers over the last year or two. It relates to visibility — to how often young people are publicly on the streets. In school holidays and after school, levels of harassment seem to increase.
There is a general feeling that young people don't have a right to be in public places or to meet their friends on the streets. We reject this — young people are members of our community and have as much right as anybody else to use public spaces.
Question: What sort of harassment takes place and why?
It's mainly informal, not a matter of people being charged or beaten up. It's a constant pressure from shopkeepers and police — asking young people what they are doing in public places, what their business is, and to move on to other area —, to get out of public sight, in other words. Shopkeepers who feel that young people distract from their business are especially vocal in making negative media comments.
Young people are easy targets: they can't vote, and they have very little economic power.
One of the biggest myths in the ACT is that there's a big youth crime problem. The police, government and media want to perpetuate this myth when it's clearly untrue. The rationale seems to be that if you remove young people from Garema Place, the business sector will do better and people will be safer. But that's not going to work because it's based on misconceptions. If there is a safety problem, for example for older people, then that needs to be addressed instead of creating a myth that there is a big youth violence problem.
The message to young people at the moment is very clear: if you don't have the money or the status of being an adult, then you don't have the same rights as older people with higher incomes, or tourists. That's very unfair, and Pathways will try to defend young people's right to occupy public spaces.
Question: Are particular groups targeted?
It's directed at all young people to some extent, but those most likely to cop it are Aboriginal young people, because of racism, and skateboarders, who are part of a youth subculture that attracts fear from older people. There is now even an inquiry into banning the use of skateboards in public areas.
Question: What can young people do if they are harassed?
Many young people just expect harassment. They don't even realise that it's wrong, so they don't complain about it to youth agencies. They certainly don't complain to the police, and they aren't encouraged by police or politicians to take action.
Young people need to know that there are organisations like Pathways or the youth centres, and channels like the ombudsman, that they can use. As well, there is the Coalition Against Police Violence, a national network interested in reporting police violence and harassment.
They need to be aware of their rights. Pathways is producing a series of cards for public distribution about rights in general and in relation to underage drinking and being arrested.
Even though young people are below the voting age, they are supposed to be represented by politicians. Young people need to be letting those politicians know that if they are below voting age now, they soon won't be. [Pathways, located in the Griffin Centre in the city, can be contacted on 257 1528 or through its Infoline on 257 7433.]