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Design of new Darwin youth detention facility critical in supporting safer communities
The design of the new Darwin youth detention facility must be informed by international best practice, to give young people the best chances to get their lives back on track, says Jesuit Social Services. “We welcome the news that a new youth detention facility will be built close to Darwin and Palmerston, in line with…
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NT’s Back on Track plan will benefit entire Territory
The Northern Territory’s Back on Track: Cutting Youth Crime Plan, released today, will ultimately support young people to reach their potential and create safer communities for all Territorians, says Jesuit Social Services. Jesuit Social Services is among the organisations that has been newly funded to deliver a suite of programs across the Territory as part…
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Link between residential care and youth justice highlights systemic failures
A new report by the Sentencing Advisory Council, which shows that one in five of children sentenced to a custodial order across 2016 and 2017 had experienced residential care, highlights that many of Victoria’s most vulnerable children have been failed by the very systems meant to protect them, says Jesuit Social Services. “The sad trajectory…
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Crime statistics show decrease in young offenders, at odds with rising detention numbers
New data released by the Crime Statistics Agency today shows that both the number of young people committing offences and the number of alleged incidents recorded against young people have decreased over the past 12 months. This is at odds with Victoria’s rising youth detention population, and the figures should be the catalyst for new…
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Addressing drivers of crime the most effective way to create safer communities
A new Crime Prevention Taskforce, led by the Victorian Government, is a positive step forward in addressing the drivers of crime and supporting people to reach their full potential, says Jesuit Social Services. “Minister for Crime Prevention Ben Carroll says that the best crime prevention measures are a job and a stable home and we…
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Male mental health crisis highlights the need for secure postvention funding
A new Beyond Blue report showing that there were more than 30,000 ambulance attendances for men who had thoughts of suicide, or had attempted suicide, over a 12 month period highlights that the Federal Government must commit to secure, long-term funding commitments for a comprehensive suite of suicide prevention services including postvention services, says Jesuit…
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Budget investment in community services welcome but more needed for crime prevention
Jesuit Social Services welcomes the Victorian State Government’s 2019/20 budget and its significant investments into vital infrastructure projects, schools and hospitals. “The State Government has delivered on many of its election commitments including free dental care for Victorian students and the construction of 1,000 new social housing properties. These investments were welcomed by the community…
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Increasing prison capacity an ineffective and costly avoidance of addressing systemic issues
The Victorian Government’s 2019-20 Budget announcement of more than $1.8 billion to increase prison capacity across the state is money invested into the wrong end of the system, and the Government must also set targets to reduce the prison population and re-offending, says Jesuit Social Services. “The serious problems around Victoria’s criminal justice system are…
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Plans for new ‘supermax’ unit symptomatic of youth justice troubles
News of a new ‘supermax’ unit within Victoria’s youth detention system highlights a range of systemic issues that need to be urgently addressed, says Jesuit Social Services. “It is clear that the current conditions in our youth detention facilities are not supporting the successful rehabilitation of young people involved with the justice system,” says Julie…
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Watch House Files highlight urgent need for National Youth Justice Strategy
Jesuit Social Services has called for national leadership to reform youth justice systems across Australia in light of last night’s Four Corners episode aired on ABC TV. The implementation of a National Youth Justice Strategy and immediately raising the age of criminal responsibility from 10 to 14 years, as highlighted in Jesuit Social Services’ Federal Election platform,…