‘Bad eggs’ give a slanted view

A leading Mid West police officer claims just a few “bad eggs” have been inflating youth crime figures in Meekatharra, with one perpetrator committing nine out of 30 youth offences in October. But apparently the troublemaker recently left the town, leaving Meekatharra officer-in-charge Sergeant Mitch Howard confident the overall decrease in crime would be apparent. Meektharra has long had a problem with youth crime, with about a quarter of all offences in the town committed by juveniles, according to local police records. The Australian Bureau of Statistics showed a nationwide youth offence rate of just over 2 per cent for the 2018-2019 financial year. But Sgt Howard said the worrying snapshot didn’t “reflect the genuine local effort by everyone here to make a difference”. “Generally, (juvenile crime) is trending down,” he said. Sgt Mitchell said the Shire and the broader community’s investment in Meekatharra youth was exceptional. The town has also held a youth-focused festival, basketball, football, movie nights, art activities, raised mental health awareness and had an Aboriginal dance event. Shire President Harvey Nicols said gold mining in the area meant Meekatharra had enough money to give back to its residents, viewing events as “social dividends”. “Every kids needs something to look forward to,” he said. But it’s not just the Shire doing the heavy lifting with Meeka’s youth. Since July, a program run by Yulella Aboriginal Corporation and the ABC Foundation — Food for the Mob — has helped keep kids’ bellies full for free or at low prices. Corporation site manager Michael Vlahor said the initiative was reducing theft, connecting kids with role models and helping people avoid alcohol.