Ryan Bridge: The Government is stuck between a rock and a hard place

Early Edition with Ryan Bridge

Trying to control kid criminals – you are damned if you do and damned if you don't.

This week, a document from children's minister Karen Chhour on the subject was leaked.

It says giving military-style boot camp providers the power to use force in extreme circumstances would be controversial.

Well, of course it would. But what are you meant to do?

Let the kids punch each other and not intervene? Let them run on the road, let them escape and just wave goodbye as they leave?

Oh, he's nearly killing the other kid. Well, remember we can't actually do anything so we'll just watch it happen.

How can you run a boot camp without the last resort right to intervene and restrain where necessary?

Rawiri Waititi says it's disgusting and unacceptable, and I can understand why Rawiri is worked up on this one. The abuse in state care inquiry showed the worst that can happen. What went on was disgusting and disgraceful.

But does that mean that we can never use programmes to rehabilitate these young or serious offenders ever again?

And where does that leave them? In adult jails? They don't like that. In youth detention centres? They don't like that either, plus they escape from these things pretty regularly. At home? Well, they were there, but they committed serious crimes repeatedly.

So, where does that leave the kids and the governments tasked with trying to sort them out?

Well, between a rock and a hard place with an impossible job on their hands, that's where.

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