By RNZ
The first of the boot camps promised by the coalition government will be operating by the middle of the year.
Children’s Minister Karen Chhour says an announcement on Tuesday fulfils the first 100 days commitment to crack down on serious youth offending.
“We’re committed to creating more tools to respond to the most serious and persistent young offenders. This includes the establishment of military-style academies and the creation of a new Young Serious Offender designation,” she said in a statement.
The government will begin with a pilot boot camp that has both a military-style component as well as “a rehabilitative and trauma-informed care approach” to reduce risks of reoffending.