Page 1303 - Week 04 - Thursday, 7 April 2016
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of young people under community-based supervision, a 35 per cent reduction in the number of young people in detention, and a 60 per cent reduction—60 per cent, Madam Deputy Speaker—in the average number of days young people spent in detention. These outcomes reflect the blueprint’s intent for the youth justice system to use detention only as a measure of last resort.
It is extremely pleasing to note that the ACT is making progress in addressing the overrepresentation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander young people in the youth justice system. Since 2011-12 there has been a 47 per cent drop in the number of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander young people under supervision and in detention. While this news is welcome, we know the overrepresentation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander young people in the ACT youth justice system continues.
Although Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander young people aged 10 to 17 years make up three per cent of the total ACT population, they represent 26 per cent of all young people under youth justice supervision on an average day. In 2013-14 an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander young person in the ACT was 12 times more likely to be under youth justice supervision during the year as compared with other young people. Nationally, this figure was 15 times. Addressing this overrepresentation must remain a continued focus of our work.
Longer term, coordinated effort is needed to bring significant and lasting change. Alongside the blueprint, this work will be supported by the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander justice partnership 2015-18 and the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander agreement 2015-18. These agreements focus on strong families and the elements of cultural identity and connections are particularly relevant for future work under the blueprint. They are important drivers in unpacking some of the complexities for the involvement of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander young people in the justice system.
Madam Deputy Speaker, I would like to talk about some of the diversion programs under the blueprint that have helped us achieve the outcomes I have referenced earlier in keeping young people out of the justice system. For example, the after-hours crisis service, formerly known as the after-hours bail and support service, keeps young people out of custody in Bimberi by providing alternative community-based options to being remanded and assisting young people on justice orders to comply with the conditions of their orders.
The alcohol and other drugs diversion program works to divert young people away from the youth justice system and refers them to assessment and education programs to address their substance use. The Narrabundah House Indigenous service residential facility provides short to medium-term and crisis accommodation and intensive case management, primarily for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander young men aged 15 to 18 years who are on community-based justice orders to help them get their lives back on track and reintegrate into the community.
The decrease in the number of young people remanded in custody suggests that, where appropriate, young people are more likely to receive bail and have their welfare, safety and other needs addressed with assistance from youth justice and support services. It is an approach that is consistent with legislative obligations to ensure that
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