Crack-down on repeat juvenile offenders (A/Prem)

Western Australia's hard-core juvenile criminals will be subject to the toughest laws in Australia under measures approved by State Cabinet today.

Repeat juvenile offenders will be jailed at the Governor's pleasure in addition to any other penalty.

Where an offence involves violence, no consideration of release will be possible before a minimum of 18 months.

Car thieves who cause death or serious injury will face a maximum 20 years imprisonment.

Acting Premier Ian Taylor said the courts would also receive a legislative direction that for the protection of the public these juveniles should be sentenced as adults.

Drafting of the new legislation would receive top priority and when finalised would be subject to a special sitting of State Parliament.

Mr Taylor said Premier Carmen Lawrence, with whom he had discussed the measures, fully endorsed the action.

"Today's Cabinet decision is a natural progression of measures which have already been taken by the Government - which included the highly successful targeting of hard-core offenders," Mr Taylor said.

"That targeting showed there are about 100 hard-core offenders.  The Government has decided there is now no option but to excise them from society - they are on notice that on the next offence, they will be jailed at the Governor's pleasure and not eligible for release until there is a recommendation from the Parole Board.

"Those serious repeat offenders convicted of a violent offence will not be considered for release until they have served a minimum of 18 months.

"This will give the authorities a reasonable time to conduct an intensive program of rehabilitation for these repeat offenders."

Mr Taylor said Cabinet had also agreed to new laws to deal with injury to the public associated with the unlawful use of motor vehicles.

"The main thrust is a new offence - applicable to both adults and juveniles - of causing death or grievous bodily harm in the course of unlawfully taking or using a motor vehicle," Mr Taylor said.

"The maximum penalty will be 20 years' imprisonment with a vital change being that the court will be directed that when imposing sentence, priority is given to the principles of protection of the public, punishment and deterrence.

"The effect of this direction will mean that in cases of serious injury an offender will face several years in jail."

Mr Taylor said the declaration of an repeat offender would be through a formula which would be contained in the legislation to be presented to Parliament.  The formula would be applied to the offender's past record and allow the courts no discretion.

The Government had asked the Commissioner of Police to continue the work of the CIB taskforce which was introduced in April last year to target serious juvenile offenders.

Mr Taylor said a special detention system would be developed to deal with the longer prison terms that the target group would be serving.

"These tough new measures and the cost of implementing them will draw criticism from some quarters but it is now clear these hard-core repeat offenders will not change their attitude and the protection of the community is paramount," Mr Taylor said.