Mike's Minute: You need an open mind for the pilot military academy programme

Perhaps the biggest problem with the military-style academy and the ensuing pilot report is not the number of people who re-offended. 

Hell, I thought they all would. 

But rather it was the fact it was, in the minds of too many, predetermined. 

Those who called them boot camps are in the invidious position of bagging the idea but not having a solution, which is an awfully easy position to be in. 

Labour and the Greens hate the idea of this sort of thing. It's unkind, it doesn’t involve sitting around talking about your feelings a lot, it's not forgiving and it doesn’t recognise trauma and your past. 

That’s why crime got as hopelessly out of control as it did in the past handful of years. 

Their policy was to have fewer people in prison, a lot of judges offering massive discounts, and just an overarching view that, short of the super serious stuff, a bit of smash-and-grab, or biffo, was somewhere between teenage high jinks and loutish behaviour that a good telling off might address. 

In the meantime, back in the real world, we were completely sick and tired of the Toyota Yaris in the shop windows and layabouts wandering out of Woolworths with legs of lamb and a slab of beer, having not paid. 

So, back to military academies. Ten of the worst were given a few months with rigorous oversight, hopefully to be let back out and wrapped up with the support of some expert guidance and, fingers crossed, a life changing experience. 

In many respects the Government were on a hiding to nothing when you take ten of the worst. What have they got to lose? The fact two didn’t re-offend, I would have thought is little short of a miracle. 

Those that did offend, by the way this wasn't widely reported, offended at a lesser level and do not forget the trial is ongoing. The guidance and wraparound mentorship is still in action. 

There is hope. 

Criticism around the cost is fair enough. But like most problems, when its been allowed to get progressively worse, whether it’s a car, or a paint job, or a kid on the skids, the bill goes up. 

This most likely won't be a miracle. But it might be a dent. It might, for some, actually work. 

It might be better than what we have done, which is little to nothing. 

But you would need an open mind to come to that conclusion. 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
Perhaps the biggest problem I was thinking to myself yesterday

(00:02):
with the military style academy and the ensuing pilot report
is not the number of people who reoffended. I mean, hell,
I thought they all would, but rather the fact that
it was in the minds of too many predetermined those
who called them boot camps are in the invidious position,
of course, of backing the idea but not having a solution,
which is an awfully easy position to find yourself in labour.
And the Greens hate the idea, of course. It's unkind.

(00:25):
It doesn't involve sitting around talking about your feelings a lot.
It's not forgiving. It doesn't recognize trauma or your past.
That's why crime got so hopelessly out of control, as
it did in the past handful of years. Their policy
was to have fewer people in prison, a lot of
judges with massive discounts, and just an overarching view that
short of some serious stuff a bitter but a smash
and grab or biffo were somewhere between teenage high jinks

(00:46):
and lautish behavior that a good telling off might address. Meantime,
back in the real world, we were completely sick and
tired of the yarrises in the shop windows and the
layabouts wandering out of woollies with legs of lamb and
slabs abear not having paid for them. So military academies
ten of the worst given a few months with rigorous oversight,
hopefully to get back out and wrapped up with support
of some expert guidance and fingers crossed a life changing experience.

(01:09):
Now many respects, the government were on a hiding to nothing.
I mean ten of the worst. What have they got
to lose? I mean the fact who didn't reoffend I
would have thought it was a little short of a miracle.
Those that did offend, by the way, not widely reported,
offend it at a lesser level. And do not forget
the trial is ongoing, the guidance, the wrap around mentorship
is still in action, so there is still hope now.

(01:31):
Criticism around the cost fair enough, but like most problems,
when it's been allowed to get progressively worse, whether it's
a car, or a paint job or a kid on
the skieds, the bill goes up. This most likely won't
be a miracle, but it might be a dent. It
might for some actually work. It might be better than
what we've done, which is little or nothing, but you

(01:53):
would need an open mind to come to that conclusion.
For more from the mic asking, breakfast listen line ape
to news talks, it'd be from six am weekdays, or
follow the podcast on iHeartRadio