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. 

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