ANOTHER day, another house fire in Tamworth’s most trouble-plagued suburb.
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While police run the standard issue line – yesterday’s fire was “suspicious” – it’s a whole lot more than suspicious to the residents of Coledale.
Arson attacks are a disturbingly common occurrence in the “battler’s belt”, one resident telling The Leader if a home was unoccupied for more than 24 hours, it was a fair bet the pint-sized pyromaniacs would move in.
Most galling for locals is the fact everyone seems to know who the culprits are.
Police are privately just as frustrated, saying they are hogtied by the Young Offenders Act and a judicial system fixated on keeping underage crims out of detention.
There are crimes of passion and crimes of opportunity, but mindless arson is invariably a crime of boredom and disenfranchisement.
Bereft in a sea of aimlessness and negativity, these children are acting out against a community they feel doesn’t value them.
Punishing them will simply reinforce that belief.
There’s no silver bullet solution here, but engaging at-risk offenders on a positive level is an important piece of the puzzle.
That’s why programs like Midnight Basketball and the soon-to-be-built new youth centre in Coledale are so critical.
Parents must also shoulder some of the blame for the seemingly endless cycle of crime in South Tamworth.
With parenting comes responsibility; if your child is roaming the neighbourhood late at night, you should be held at least partly responsible for their actions.
Community leaders, too, must step up and show leadership.
For too long, indigenous leaders have been mired in black politics and government largesse, rather than working on positive outcomes for their community.
And many in the white community must shrug off the cloak of racism and understand that improving race relations in Tamworth requires a united effort.
It might be counterintuitive to treat young crims with compassion rather than condemnation, but it will make us a stronger – and safer – community in the long run.