Youth Organised and United

Media Release

April 5 2008 (For Immediate Release)

Garth McVicar fails to address the problem

Youth advocacy group Youth Organised and United are condemning the Sensible Sentencing Trust and their spokesman Garth McVicar for comments made regarding the death of 15 year old Pihema Clifford Cameron.

The Sensible Sentencing Trust have shown a remarkable disregard for the welfare of children and young people in their recent attack on the Children's Commissioner.

McVicar is quoted describing Bruce Emery as "a decent hard-working citizen (who) is facing a murder charge because of his frustration over this (tagging) issue."

YOU spokesperson Dan Luoni has said, "We are utterly repulsed by the fact that the Sensible sentencing trust is willing to manipulate the death of a young man to attack the Children's Commissioner."

"Regardless of whether the Commissioner was correct in her statements regarding the artistic merits of tagging, McVicar's response was utterly unacceptable."

Luoni went on to say that the real issue around tagging is whether it is benefiting our young people and allowing them to reach their full potential.

"What McVicar showed was his, and the Sensible Sentencing Trust's, complete lack of concern for the youth of New Zealand."

"Surely the Sensible Sentencing Trust should be concerned with the tragedy faced by the victims of this crime, rather than the predicament faced by the accused murderer."

Luoni finished by saying that YOU are saddened by the continual failure of the community to address the causes of the tagging problem, and the continual use of people like the Commissioner as scapegoats.

ends

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