Page 1304 - Week 04 - Thursday, 7 April 2016
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detention is used as a last resort for young people and that the justice system acts in the best interests of the young person.
Young people’s participation in restorative justice also appears to be preventing young people from becoming further involved in the youth justice system. Although overall referrals to restorative justice decreased in 2013-14, more young people are agreeing to participate in restorative justice, with higher compliance rates when compared to previous years. That means that more young people were successful in achieving restorative outcomes for victims and the ACT community.
Another blueprint strategy that is proving effective is implementing within the Children and Youth Protection Services an increased focus on delivering a more effective and evidence-based approach to the supervision of young people on justice orders. We have embedded practice improvements to strengthen the skill of case managers to reduce risk factors associated with offending, increase the compliance of young people under supervision with justice orders and strengthen protective factors.
I think it is clear, Madam Deputy Speaker, that the blueprint is doing good work in Canberra. One of the fundamental reasons for this has been the understanding that youth justice outcomes must not be seen in isolation. Instead, shared efforts and a shared responsibility involving services and supports across health, education, justice and the community are recognised as being the most effective way to get better outcomes for young people involved in or at risk of coming into contact with the youth justice system.
We recognise that for young people to reach their full potential they need to be supported to reconnect with their community. As such, through-care initiatives have been strengthened to focus on providing young people with sustainable exits from the youth justice system to the community. For example, the Bendora through-care unit at Bimberi better prepared a total of 21 young people for transition from custody to community since it was established in 2011 by giving them the living skills they need to thrive. The youth housing program continues to support young people in the 16-to-25-years range who are transitioning from youth justice, care and protection or homelessness services into independent accommodation. In 2014-15, 160 youth tenancies were managed under this program.
Keeping young people out of the youth justice system means we are contributing to a safer and more inclusive community and can prevent a lifetime of crime. This early success creates an opportunity to work proactively rather than simply trying to keep up with the demand. It allows the youth justice sector to devote more effort to addressing the underlying issues that lead to youth offending to achieve better long term results.
Importantly, these achievements suggest that the social and financial benefits being made by the youth justice sector at this time are likely to benefit the justice sector, young people and the ACT community for years to come. Building on this opportunity is the next step. This means delivering a youth justice sector that builds on the government’s commitment to provide better services, building on human services principles to reinvest in community-based crime prevention and contribute to a socially inclusive community.
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