Media releases Archives - Page 15 of 30

Royal Commission into the child protection and youth detention systems of the Northern Territory
- 28 July 2016
Jesuit Social Services welcomes the Federal Government’s announcement of the Royal Commission into the child protection and youth detention systems of the Northern Territory, following the ABC’s Four Corners investigation into the Don Dale Youth Detention Centre and its treatment of vulnerable young people. “We have long advocated for better treatment for young people in…
Positive signs as Victorian imprisonment rates stabilise
- 9 June 2016
New data released today showing Victoria’s rates of imprisonment have stabilised is a sign that the pressure on the state’s criminal justice system is beginning to ease, says Jesuit Social Services. Quarterly Corrective Services statistics published by the Australian Bureau of Statistics show that Victoria’s rate of imprisonment in the March quarter 2016 was 137…
Ten-fold over-representation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children under youth supervision an indictment on the nation
- 25 May 2016
A ten-fold over-representation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander youth on community orders and in youth detention means these children are at risk of becoming a new Stolen Generation unless significant action is taken, says Jesuit Social Services. In the lead up to National Sorry Day, the organisation has analysed data from the Australian Institute…
Youth diversion helps young people avoid lifetime involvement with the justice system
- 25 April 2016
Jesuit Social Services has welcomed the Victorian Government’s $5.6 million budget investment to expand the current Youth Diversion Pilot Program which steers vulnerable young people away from future involvement in the justice system and works to reduce reoffending. “Youth diversion programs are crucial in allowing young people to address the causes behind their offending while…
State Government must commit to 15 per cent reduction in reoffending: Jesuit Social Services
- 12 April 2016
Ahead of the Victorian State Budget, Jesuit Social Services has urged the State Government to commit to achieving a 15 per cent reduction in reoffending rates over the next five years. “Every dollar spent in the budget is a dollar not being spent on vital community services like housing, education and mental health,” says Jesuit…
Increasing Indigenous prison rates requires a rethink
- 18 March 2016
New data released yesterday revealing a further increase in the number of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people incarcerated in Victoria is evidence that further work is needed to meet the specific needs of these groups in the justice system, says Jesuit Social Services. Quarterly Corrective Services statistics published by the Australian Bureau of Statistics…
Bail Amendment Bill will help vulnerable young people
- 18 February 2016
Jesuit Social Services congratulates the Victorian Government on the passing of the Bail Amendment Bill 2015, which will help address the alarming increase in the number of children arrested and held on remand in Victoria. “Most young offending is episodic, transitory and unlikely to constitute a risk to the safety and welfare of the community,”…
Changes to Bail Act welcome after children unintentionally snagged in tightening net
- 26 November 2015
Jesuit Social Services welcomes changes to Bail introduced into the Victorian Parliament on Wednesday 25 November to address the alarming increase in vulnerable children being held in remand despite a 14 per cent drop in the number of young offenders. Jesuit Social Services acting CEO Sally Parnell says that previous changes to the Bail Act…
Reducing reoffending the key to creating safer communities: Ombudsman report
- 17 September 2015
Jesuit Social Services today welcomes findings of the Victorian Ombudsman’s Investigation into the rehabilitation and reintegration of prisoners in Victoria, which recommends a whole-of-government approach focused on reducing reoffending. “We know that our prison system is overworked and overcrowded, and that more than half of the people in Victoria’s prisons have previously served a custodial…
Overcrowding in prisons the backdrop to riots
- 7 July 2015
Severe overcrowding in Victoria’s prisons has created the kind of pressure cooker conditions in which riots are more likely, and should be considered as a contributing factor in any investigation of the Ravenhall riot, according to Jesuit Social Services. “We know from a series of reports and our own experience working with people in prisons…