Page 531 - Week 02 - Tuesday, 21 February 2012
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In developing the blueprint, the task force is working towards establishing a whole of government and community framework to support approaches to early intervention and prevention and diversions at all points in the youth justice system—primary, secondary and tertiary. Partnerships across justice, health, education and the community services sectors will be strengthened to support the best interests of young people engaged in the youth justice system.
The dialogue is not only between the community and the task force. It is between local, national and international experts who will be engaged through the expert youth advisory panel. The panel will provide input to the task force on the development and implementation of the blueprint. Whilst planning the way forward in youth justice, the government has not been idle in implementing practical actions. Indeed, this government has invested significantly in initiatives to support early intervention, prevention and diversion. I will provide a few examples.
Acknowledging that many young people’s difficulties have their roots in the early years, the government has enhanced services and supports to families with young children through the child and family centres. The third centre opened at west Belconnen in May of last year. The government youth commitment is a whole of government and community commitment to ensuring that no young person is disengaged from meaningful education, training and/or employment opportunities.
As part of the 2011-12 budget the ACT government has committed approximately $2 million over four years for the establishment of an after-hours bail support service. This service assists young people already on bail and those young people facing fresh charges outside business hours where bail is being considered. It has assisted, for example, a 15-year-old girl recently involved in the criminal justice system for the first time, leading to her arrest for an assault late one evening. The watch-house sergeant referred the girl to the after-hours bail support service. It accessed overnight crisis accommodation and arranged for transport to the court the following day. As a result, the young person was bailed and released into the care of her family without having been exposed to the experience of overnight detention in Bimberi. The young person is currently on bail with supervision by a youth justice case manager.
The after-hours bail support service has been operating since October of last year. While it is early days, there is growing evidence that the program is diverting young people from remand at Bimberi Youth Justice Centre. As of last week, 68 young people had been directly assisted by the after-hours bail support service, with 17 young people being directly diverted from remand in Bimberi. I think that is a pretty good outcome for the service in its early days. A single case management model has been introduced within youth justice services in the Community Services Directorate. The model provides enhanced through-care and more seamless service for children and young people who often move between the community and custodial settings.
Our case management staff are trained in evidence-based assessments to determine the best approach to deal with the criminal behaviour that young people present with. This allows us to provide appropriate individual programs and services at the right
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