Our thinking Archives - Page 20 of 32 - Jesuit Social Services

Justice Legislation Bill will further entrench young people in the justice system
- 8 March 2019
The passing of the Victorian Government’s Justice Legislation (Police and Other Matters) Bill 2018 will further entrench vulnerable young people in the prison system, says Jesuit Social Services. The Bill, which passed the Legislative Council yesterday, creates new offences and higher penalties for people who seek to harm or intimidate police officers, protective services officers,…
With female incarceration rates on the rise, it's time we work towards a justice system that better supports vulnerable women
- 7 March 2019
International Women’s Day is a platform to take action for equality. With Victoria’s female incarceration rate having increased by 138 per cent over the past decade, it’s time we work towards creating a justice system that better supports vulnerable women in the community and in prison, writes KATHRYN KERNOHAN. International Women’s Day is an annual…
World Day of Social Justice
- 19 February 2019
Today (February 20) is World Day of Social Justice and, as Andy Hamilton SJ writes, social justice must be built on interpersonal justice and extend to environmental justice. Image: International Labour Organization Many people see Social Justice Days as a time of division. They believe that it divides oppressors from victims and people who are…
On Australia Day
- 22 January 2019
Australia Day matters. It is good for a nation to have a day on which we can celebrate the gift of our land and of the good and diverse people who have helped shape it. It can be an occasion for healing divisions and making promises. Chief among Australia’s unhealed divisions are those between the…
A Christmas Reflection
- 24 December 2018
Andy Hamilton SJ reflects on the true spirit of Christmas. In the Christian tradition, which we inherit at Jesuit Social Services, Christmas marks the point at which God shared our human experience. It is to wonder at the contrast between the completeness and self-sufficiency of God and the smallness, dependence and mean surroundings of the…
Quality childcare and education crucial to achieve positive outcomes in adult life
- 17 December 2018
Australia is below the OECD average in investment in early childhood education, and our political leaders must prioritise the care and education needed by children before they reach five, writes Jesuit Social Services’ Policy and Advocacy volunteer TONY SANTOSPIRITO. This year’s report Lifting Our Game: Report of the Review to Achieve Educational Excellence in Australian…
With suicide on the rise, postvention services can save lives
- 3 December 2018
In September, the Australian Bureau of Statistics released its annual Causes of Death report which provides analysis on Australia’s leading causes of death. Deaths by suicide 2008-2017 It showed that the number of people who died by suicide in Australia in 2017 rose by 9.1 per cent from 2016, and that suicide remains the leading…
Adequate funding for postvention programs can reduce the risk of further suicide
- 21 November 2018
Programs like Support After Suicide, which work with people bereaved by the loss of a loved one, also work to reduce the risk of further suicide. With suicide numbers on the rise, it is important programs like this receive adequate funding, writes Jesuit Social Services’ Policy and Advocacy volunteer TONY SANTOSPIRITO. Many Australians have been…
Give people a home, and you give them a second chance to get their lives on track
- 20 November 2018
Unstable housing is the most significant factor affecting the likelihood of somebody returning to prison. If we want to reduce re-offending and create a safer society, we must ensure people leaving prison have access to safe and secure housing, writes Jesuit Social Services’ Policy, Research and Advocacy Officer JEMIMA HOFFMAN. The recidivism rate in Victoria…
Keeping young people engaged with school means better outcomes for the whole community
- 16 November 2018
More than half of the young people involved in Victoria’s youth justice system have been suspended or expelled from school. The Navigator program helps keep vulnerable young people connected with education – and more children should have access to it, writes Jesuit Social Services’ Media Relations Manager KATHRYN KERNOHAN. The links between disengagement from education…

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