“The ACT Party is today welcoming the National Party showing support for our policy of ankle bracelets for youth offenders,” says ACT Leader David Seymour.

“ACT first announced this policy in August. National has gone back and forth on whether it supports it, with National MP Erica Stanford saying the policy “breaks her heart.”

“It’s great to have clarity from National today it does support the policy. This follows Police Minister Chris Hipkins saying he’s also open to considering the policy.

“The simple logic is that it’s hard to control youth offenders if you don’t even know where they are. If young offenders have a tracking bracelet, their mates will not want them around and penalties such as staying at home at the weekend and after 5pm could be enforced.

“They can be used to ensure kids are going to school and not associating with other criminals. It keeps these young offenders out of youth justice facilities, and it means they can be tracked to the scene of a crime.

“ACT questions whether the military, with their various challenges would want to babysit 15-year-olds who don’t want to be there, but we welcome the idea that there needs to be an escalation to a secure facility for kids who breach electronic monitoring.

“This is a good example of how ACT strengthens the collation by delivering real change.

“Youth offenders are escalating their crimes with ram rids of dairies turning into broad daylight smash and grabs at busy shopping malls. The government needs to escalate its response if it cares about the rights of law abiding citizens

“ACT says people who follow the law have rights and people who terrorise them deserve real consequences.”

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