by Emma Ballingall
With youth crime escalating 400 per cent in five years, Warragul leading senior constable Paula Fowler acknowledged the challenges and rewards of working with troubled youth.
However, she believed a proactive approach to divert youth away from the criminal justice system would ultimately benefit everyone, stating "evidence shows that locking them up is just making it worse."
"It's a challenge, but we're working with these young people and trying to divert them as much as we can," leading sen const Fowler said.
"We can see the kids that are actually starting to improve and turn their lives around," she said. "We still have the kids that don't want to engage and participate but, for those who do, it's made a great difference in their life."