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A whole-of-government approach needed to keep disadvantaged young people on the right track
There were plenty of young Victorians already doing it tough before the 2020 bushfires and COVID-19 lockdowns. For young people with histories of trauma, drug and alcohol issues, cognitive impairments, involvement in the child protection/out-of-home care or youth justice systems, and young people culturally and linguistically diverse communities that experience exclusion and discrimination, these last few years have threatened to compound the barriers they face.
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Leaving prison for good: The critical role of safe and secure housing
Access to safe and secure housing is a fundamental human right. It provides a solid foundation for a person’s health, wellbeing and agency, and helps build more productive and cohesive communities. Across Australia, however, it is estimated that approximately one in seven people who have been in prison need assistance from a specialist homelessness service when they re-enter the community.
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Federal Election 2022: Raising the age must be a priority of incoming Federal Government
Jesuit Social Services’ recently released Federal Election platform, A blueprint for a just recovery, builds on 45 years of advocacy and action, to outline our vision for a just society. In this third in a series of pre-Election blogs, we focus on fair justice systems.
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In brief: Submission to the Inquiry into Victoria’s Criminal Justice System
Jesuit Social Services was pleased to contribute a submission to the Inquiry into Victoria’s Criminal Justice System. We highlighted some of our concerns with current operations, and presented our vision of an evidence-based, socially just system underpinned by principles of prevention, early...
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Help us to give young people a second chance
Our #WorthASecondChance campaign was launched in July 2018 as a way to engage the public in joining with us to call for the youth justice system our community deserves. ...
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Better approaches to supporting young people in the Northern Territory
In May, the Northern Territory Government introduced a number of legislative changes to the youth justice system that will see more children separated from family and community, and funnelled into detention. These deeply concerning measures include increasing grounds to refuse or revoke bail;...
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Homelessness Week 2020 - The way forward must be built on respect. And respect begins with a home.
Homelessness Week 2020 (August 2-8) is taking place in the middle of the COVID-19 pandemic and ANDY HAMILTON SJ writes that the week is a crucial reminder of the naivety and recklessness of the policies that have produced homelessness. The way forward must be built on respect, and respect begins...
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Ravenhall audit a sobering reminder of need for transparency in prison system
A new audit of Ravenhall Prison, tabled yesterday by the Victorian Auditor-General's Office, shows that an over-crowded prison population is limiting people’s access to vital programs and services to help them address the underlying issues behind their offending. We need greater access to data and...