Media releases Archives - Page 5 of 29

Specialist court vital to address NT alcohol misuse
- 17 July 2017
Judges need to have the option to send people with serious alcohol problems who commit crimes to treatment services instead of prison to address alcohol misuse in the Northern Territory, according to Jesuit Social Services. Jesuit Social Services will present recommendations from its submission to the Northern Territory Alcohol Policies and Legislation Review, including that…
Record number of Victorian prisoners failing to create safer communities
- 30 June 2017
With Victoria’s prison population having reached a record high of 7,155 this week, Jesuit Social Services says locking up increasing numbers of people will not create safer communities. “Victoria’s prison population has increased by more than 2,000 people in just five years, and this week’s figure of 7,155 people would have been unthinkable as recently…
Investment in special education ensures access for all
- 2 June 2017
Jesuit Social Services welcomes the opening of Forrest Parade School, which will provide much needed special education for children with disabilities and challenging behaviours. This school will be the first of its kind in Palmerston and will help to meet the great demand in community. Jared Sharp, Jesuit Social Services’ General Manager in the Northern…
Foundations of Victoria’s youth justice system must be maintained
- 24 May 2017
Victoria is at risk of eroding its progressive youth justice system by making changes to the successful dual track system, which allows young people aged between 18 and 21 to be sentenced to youth detention, warns Jesuit Social Services. “The Government is treading down a dangerous path by dismantling many of the elements of our…
Supreme Court win a victory for human rights
- 11 May 2017
Jesuit Social Services welcomes the Supreme Court verdict handed down today that the detention of children and young people in the maximum security adult Barwon Prison is unlawful. “We are pleased that the Supreme Court has reiterated what we and others have said for months: that there is no place for children in adult prisons,”…
Vulnerable groups recognised in bail response
- 8 May 2017
Jesuit Social Services welcomes the Victorian Government’s $25.2 million commitment to continue and expand the Court Integrated Services Program (CISP) and the CISP Remand Outreach Pilot to monitor and supervise people on bail and remand, and target the underlying causes of offending. The commitment is in response to Supreme Court Justice Paul Coghlan’s review of…
Victorian budget – A lost opportunity to invest in crime reduction
- 3 May 2017
With the Victorian budget in a strong position, Jesuit Social Services has welcomed investment in family violence, social housing and mental health initiatives. Jesuit Social Services CEO Julie Edwards said the unprecedented commitment to reducing family violence was a watershed moment and welcomed the full package of announcements. However, Ms Edwards said that at a time of such significant spending on serious…
Education funding gives children chance to flourish
- 28 April 2017
An additional $1 million towards repairs and maintenance at remote homeland learning centres, announced as part of the Northern Territory budget, will provide young Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children have greater opportunities to flourish. Jared Sharp, Jesuit Social Services’ General Manager in the Northern Territory, says the funds will provide a foundation for success…
Youth remand court will ease pressure on youth detention system
- 24 April 2017
A new youth remand court, which will ‘fast-track’ the cases of many children currently held in detention unsentenced, will ease the pressure on Victoria’s youth detention system according to Jesuit Social Services. “The pressure on Victoria’s youth detention system has been clear in recent months. We’ve seen a series of incidents, including one in November…
Mental health funding welcomed
- 18 April 2017
An expansion of mental health support for people in, or at risk of entering, the criminal justice system will ultimately help to create safer communities, says Jesuit Social Services. The Victorian Government has announced its 2017/18 Budget will provide $43.9 million in capital funding to expand Thomas Embling Hospital, and $28.6 million over four years…

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