Paul (![[info]](http://l-stat.livejournal.com/img/userinfo.gif){kind=small} fremantlebiz) wrote,@ 2007-11-05 09:17:00 |
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Some thoughts on Aboriginal crime
Our number five son finished his final two week block of TAFE training for his plumbing licence on Friday. He won't get his licence for a while yet because he needs more on-the-job training in his apprenticeship with his older brothers. But having the theoretical training out of the way is a big step, and we parents are very pleased that he has it under his belt.
During the past two weeks he commuted back and forth to Fremantle's Challenger TAFE plumbing division by bus. Its a usually uneventful trip which requires two connections, although there was some rushed excitement one morning last week when he slept in.
However on Friday afternoon, his final day when he was waiting for the bus to come home, three Aboriginal youths crossed the street and in aggressive tones one of them demanded to know why my son had been watching him. This was denied. But it was a very dangerous situation for my son because this has long been a way of young Aborigines picking fights with strangers. Certainly for as long as I can remember. First comes the unfounded accusation, then some pushing, followed by a full on assault by the group which leaves the victim badly injured and robbed. The tactic undoubtedly happens in other societies too, but it seems particularly favoured by urban Aboriginal gangs here, because barely a week passes without a media report of an unprovoked attack.
Fortunately for my son, a group of other plumbing apprentices from the course arrived at the bus stop and the troublemakers slunk away. I think my son was very lucky that day. Every week somewhere in this fair metropolis are similar confrontations, and often they have tragic consequences with the victims suffering brain damage, and the perpetrators, if they are identified, often getting off lightly because of their age. My son thought these three youths might have been aged under 12.
It might well have been the case, because when Aboriginal juvenile offenders come before a childrens' court its not uncommon for many to have had many previous convictions, sometimes many dozens of them. Their life of crime can start with a very early pre-school apprenticeship.
Because of their age their identities are never formally revealed to the public, but it has been revealed in the media that having multiple convictions and being incarcerated for a short time is often regarded as a status symbol. It's allegedly become a cultural thing in some Aboriginal quarters.
In The West Australian this morning there is a small report on page seven titled 'Aboriginal imprisonment soars in WA.' It says Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) figures reveal that WA's indigenous imprisonment rate has gone from 3,036 prisoners per every 100,000 of our adult population in 2001, to 3,385 in 2006. They are much higher rates than for any other ethnicity.
Now these figures are only for adult offenders. Juveniles are not included, and because the adult figures only relate to actual imprisonment, they naturally don't include all the lesser penalties where individuals are given "one more chance." It seems that this is a very flexible term, and in many cases is quite meaningless to the individual concerned.
In the case of detention, young inmates quite rightly get clean clothing, clean bedding, TV, good food, education and sporting opportunities. Reportedly the process is very enjoyable for some kids, and much better than life on the streets. It's not a deterrent, its become an addiction.
I think the continual cultivation of a widespread victim mentality has been detrimental for the Aboriginal population. It's reinforced at every opportunity, and has become a hegemonic tool for innumerable Aboriginal run agencies which have become dependent on government grant/welfare of one form or another over several decades. The clients are continually reminded that they are where they are because their noble Aboriginal ancestors were disenfranchised of their lands and obliged to abandon the traditional lifestyle. I suspect that a lot of the attacks are racist because the dialogue which comes from many of these support agencies is peppered with the reinforcement of a victim philosophy.
Tragically, Aboriginal people are not travelling well on many fronts in this state. In this morning's newspaper report there's a quote from a former director of the WA Aboriginal Legal Service. He reportedly said that poverty, disadvantage and appalling third world living conditions were to blame.
Well there's no denying that, but these are cliches which have been around all of my life. Inestimable millions of dollars have been poured into the Aboriginal arena over many years to try to remedy the situation. It's not been for lack of trying by a great many dedicated people, both black and white.
If they were the real reasons Aborigines are travelling so poorly, then why do refugees from all over the world who have experienced all these things and much worse, manage to find their feet within a few years?
Perhaps it is some of those peoples who are best equipped to provide advice on how best to assist lostward Aborigines to negotiate a more meaningful place in a modern Australian society, rather than their being conspicuous for the rate of imprisonment.
© MMVII Paul R. Weaver.
About the writer
Check out each month's subject index on the Calendar Page for my "common-man" monologues about survival in 21st century Australia – plus a little history occasionally. An original essay is added most days as part of an undertaking to write a couple of million words.
Our number five son finished his final two week block of TAFE training for his plumbing licence on Friday. He won't get his licence for a while yet because he needs more on-the-job training in his apprenticeship with his older brothers. But having the theoretical training out of the way is a big step, and we parents are very pleased that he has it under his belt.
During the past two weeks he commuted back and forth to Fremantle's Challenger TAFE plumbing division by bus. Its a usually uneventful trip which requires two connections, although there was some rushed excitement one morning last week when he slept in.
However on Friday afternoon, his final day when he was waiting for the bus to come home, three Aboriginal youths crossed the street and in aggressive tones one of them demanded to know why my son had been watching him. This was denied. But it was a very dangerous situation for my son because this has long been a way of young Aborigines picking fights with strangers. Certainly for as long as I can remember. First comes the unfounded accusation, then some pushing, followed by a full on assault by the group which leaves the victim badly injured and robbed. The tactic undoubtedly happens in other societies too, but it seems particularly favoured by urban Aboriginal gangs here, because barely a week passes without a media report of an unprovoked attack.
Fortunately for my son, a group of other plumbing apprentices from the course arrived at the bus stop and the troublemakers slunk away. I think my son was very lucky that day. Every week somewhere in this fair metropolis are similar confrontations, and often they have tragic consequences with the victims suffering brain damage, and the perpetrators, if they are identified, often getting off lightly because of their age. My son thought these three youths might have been aged under 12.
It might well have been the case, because when Aboriginal juvenile offenders come before a childrens' court its not uncommon for many to have had many previous convictions, sometimes many dozens of them. Their life of crime can start with a very early pre-school apprenticeship.
Because of their age their identities are never formally revealed to the public, but it has been revealed in the media that having multiple convictions and being incarcerated for a short time is often regarded as a status symbol. It's allegedly become a cultural thing in some Aboriginal quarters.
In The West Australian this morning there is a small report on page seven titled 'Aboriginal imprisonment soars in WA.' It says Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) figures reveal that WA's indigenous imprisonment rate has gone from 3,036 prisoners per every 100,000 of our adult population in 2001, to 3,385 in 2006. They are much higher rates than for any other ethnicity.
Now these figures are only for adult offenders. Juveniles are not included, and because the adult figures only relate to actual imprisonment, they naturally don't include all the lesser penalties where individuals are given "one more chance." It seems that this is a very flexible term, and in many cases is quite meaningless to the individual concerned.
In the case of detention, young inmates quite rightly get clean clothing, clean bedding, TV, good food, education and sporting opportunities. Reportedly the process is very enjoyable for some kids, and much better than life on the streets. It's not a deterrent, its become an addiction.
I think the continual cultivation of a widespread victim mentality has been detrimental for the Aboriginal population. It's reinforced at every opportunity, and has become a hegemonic tool for innumerable Aboriginal run agencies which have become dependent on government grant/welfare of one form or another over several decades. The clients are continually reminded that they are where they are because their noble Aboriginal ancestors were disenfranchised of their lands and obliged to abandon the traditional lifestyle. I suspect that a lot of the attacks are racist because the dialogue which comes from many of these support agencies is peppered with the reinforcement of a victim philosophy.
Tragically, Aboriginal people are not travelling well on many fronts in this state. In this morning's newspaper report there's a quote from a former director of the WA Aboriginal Legal Service. He reportedly said that poverty, disadvantage and appalling third world living conditions were to blame.
Well there's no denying that, but these are cliches which have been around all of my life. Inestimable millions of dollars have been poured into the Aboriginal arena over many years to try to remedy the situation. It's not been for lack of trying by a great many dedicated people, both black and white.
If they were the real reasons Aborigines are travelling so poorly, then why do refugees from all over the world who have experienced all these things and much worse, manage to find their feet within a few years?
Perhaps it is some of those peoples who are best equipped to provide advice on how best to assist lostward Aborigines to negotiate a more meaningful place in a modern Australian society, rather than their being conspicuous for the rate of imprisonment.
© MMVII Paul R. Weaver.
About the writer
Check out each month's subject index on the Calendar Page for my "common-man" monologues about survival in 21st century Australia – plus a little history occasionally. An original essay is added most days as part of an undertaking to write a couple of million words.
