Media releases Archives - Page 19 of 29

Victorian mandatory sentencing will result in more vulnerable people caught in the prison system
- 20 June 2018
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – JUNE 20, 2018 New laws to impose a mandatory sentence for assaults on emergency services workers are poorly considered, rushed and misguided, says Jesuit Social Services. “These laws will unfairly impact on vulnerable Victorians, remove judicial discretion, and further clog our courts and prison systems,” says Jesuit Social Services CEO Julie…
Restricting prisoner access to redress scheme denies human rights
- 19 June 2018
A coalition of representatives from Australia’s legal, human rights and community services sectors have signed an open letter to state and Federal Attorneys-General and Social Services Minister Dan Tehan, urging them to ensure people with criminal convictions have access to the National Redress Scheme for people who have experienced institutional child abuse. “We welcome the…
New youth justice data shows Australia is failing Aboriginal children
- 29 May 2018
A tenfold over-representation of young Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander (ATSI) people in the criminal justice system shows that Australia is failing vulnerable children, and raising the age of criminal responsibility and culturally-specific responses should be among the solutions to address the issue, says Jesuit Social Services. The Australian Institute of Health and Welfare’s Youth…
A joint Catholic statement about bridging visas
- 25 May 2018
In 2016 a small number of people seeking asylum were evacuated from Nauru and sent to Australia in need of medical care and support. Many of these people were experiencing complex health needs in addition to the trauma and persecution they had faced on their journeys to Australia. The Federal Government is now seeking to…
Federal Government’s decision to strip income support is shameful
- 24 May 2018
The Federal Government’s decision to strip income support and housing from a group of highly vulnerable families seeking asylum in Australia will impact the entire community, says Jesuit Social Services. “We are appalled that the Federal Government is continuing its cruel campaign of needlessly punishing people who have sought asylum in Australia,” says Jesuit Social…
Investment in education key to keeping children and young people on track
- 1 May 2018
Jesuit Social Services welcomes the Government’s $44 million expansion of the Navigator education program statewide. This program, which has been operating as a pilot in selected areas, has proven successful in keeping marginalized young people in school. Jesuit Social Services delivers Navigator in the Hume and Moreland regions and in its submission to the 2018/19…
A Joint Catholic statement on SRSS income cuts for people seeking asylum in Australia
- 27 April 2018
The Status Resolution Support Service (SRSS) is a vital safety net for people seeking asylum in Australia. It provides basic income support, casework services, and access to torture and trauma counselling services to many women, men, and children. Starting in late 2017, the government began excluding full-time students including many on scholarship, and those who…
NT can lead the nation in reform for children and families
- 20 April 2018
The Northern Territory Government’s $229.6 million investment into reforming its child protection and youth justice systems gives it an opportunity to lead the nation in evidence-based reform, says Jesuit Social Services. “While the atrocities within the Territory’s child protection and youth justice systems that sparked the Royal Commission will never be forgotten, it is positive…
Record prisoner numbers in the NT require a new response
- 19 April 2018
This week the Northern Territory’s male prison population reached a new high of 1,013 people, proving new solutions are needed to prevent crime from occurring and to ease the strain on the prison system, says Jesuit Social Services. “The Northern Territory’s prisoner numbers have reached an all-time high of 1,833 this week and the system…
Restricting use of Community Correction Orders a dangerous precedent
- 13 April 2018
The Victorian Government’s plan to further restrict the use of Community Correction Orders sets a dangerous precedent, with little evidence it will reduce re-offending, says Jesuit Social Services. “A Community Correction Order is issued with conditions, such as engaging with drug and alcohol services or participating in behaviour change programs, which ultimately support people to…

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