Free youth programs and activities over the summer have helped reduce crime in Alice Springs

ABC NEWS (Australia)

Authorities in Central Australia say a suite of free youth programs and activities run over the summer holidays have helped reduce crime in Alice Springs at a time when offending is normally at its peak. As students prepare to return to classrooms next week, work is underway to ensure the success of the program into the future.

Transcript

00:00As summer rolls in, the skates roll out.

00:06One of dozens of free school holiday programs on offer in Alice Springs, and the verdict

00:11appears to be unanimous.

00:12I think it feels good and maybe I should do it again.

00:13It looks really fun.

00:14And I've learned a lot of skills today.

00:25Whether rolling around the rink, making a splash in the town pool or guns blazing in

00:30the laser tag arena, all agree it's helping keep young people entertained and out of trouble.

00:36This gets people together in a really social, positive space.

00:40They can be here with their friends, they can be here with their family, they can come

00:43from in town, out of town, and it definitely gives people something to focus their energy.

00:47If they didn't have that to do, if they were looking for going to their own devices to

00:52find something to do, then perhaps they'd make different choices.

00:56More than 21,000 visits have been made to the town pool over the past five weeks.

01:01Such has been the success of the scheme that operators have agreed to keep entry free every

01:06school holidays and on weekends.

01:09The programs intended to complement a security response.

01:13It's the frontline policing effort in the high use public spaces.

01:16It's arresting offenders and it's the targeted tactical intervention from our detectives

01:22and our investigators.

01:23But it hasn't been enough to stop the police commissioner once again calling on the South

01:28Australia Force for extra boots on the ground in the new year.

01:32After several violent incidents in Alice Springs late last year, tensions were high leading

01:37into summer.

01:38And while the youth activities aren't a silver bullet, they are becoming an integral part

01:43of the puzzle.

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