Member for Barwon Roy Butler has told parliament not enough is being done to divert young people from crime.

But, he says, that doesn't mean he thinks we should go soft on crime and a recent disturbing trend of 'sharing' violent offences using social media is particularly disturbing.

Mr Butler was speaking to offer his conditional support for a Minns Labor government bill to amend laws to make it harder for teenagers to get bail and to criminalise “posting and boasting” about offences on social media.

“If you mix people who have committed minor offences with people who commit more serious offences then it is likely that those who commit minor offences will up their game. Custody needs to be avoided for minor offences” he said.

“But per capita - in Barwon our crime rates are through the roof, they are some of the worst crime rates in the state”

Before entering parliament Mr Butler has worked in three adult prisons, as well as probation and parole.

He has co-ordinated offender management programs, and been part of the executive for the police in western NSW.

However, he said that he was particularly shocked by seeing assaults on children by other children in the area being filmed and put on social media.

Roy Butler. Image: Supplied.

“It must be stamped out” he said.

He said places like Bourke, Walgett and Condoblin “have some pretty serious offences going on”.

“In some parts of my electorate people have come into the nurses quarters with a knife and side-swiped a Doctor’s car - it makes very hard to attract and retain professionals.”

Mr Butler said that while he would not “oppose the bill”, it “does not deal with the issue of diversion” and too often police in small towns had just two options - bail or custody.

It comes as Amnesty International Australia urges the NSW government to closing the gap Target 11, aimed at reducing the rate of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander young people (10-17 years) in detention by at least 30 percent.

Image: Catholic Leader.

“Tightening bail laws is anticipated to detrimentally impact the incarceration rates of First Nations children, consequently undermining the Closing the Gap outcomes” said Kacey Teerman, Indigenous Rights Campaigner.

“The NSW Government says ‘the current status quo is not working for young people who are reoffending and being caught up in this cycle’, but boosting funding for punitive measures such as increased police numbers and judicial resources is just more of the same.”

She urged Premier Minns to “listen to experts, create policy based on evidence and to follow the Federal government’s lead by adequately investing in diversionary programs for young people”.