Our thinking Archives - Page 6 of 36 - Jesuit Social Services

Shift in illicit drug rhetoric and policy should not be considered soft
- 8 August 2018
An expansion of the successful Drug Court and trial of a Medically Supervised Injecting Centre in Victoria are are examples of a health-based response that reflects a compassionate, evidence-based policy agenda, writes Jesuit Social Services' policy volunteer MITCHELL GLASS. Collectively, there is a growing recognition that the current 'war on drugs' approach is not an effective…
Francis' ordeal reveals failings of NDIS and the prison system
- 4 July 2018
The story of a young man named Francis reveals significant failings of both the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) and the criminal justice system - and his plight must lead to better outcomes for people like him in the future, writes Jesuit Social Services Media Relations Manager KATHRYN KERNOHAN. In November 2017, a young man…
Law Week - Time to treat children with a restorative justice and welfare approach
- 18 May 2018
This Law Week, it's time to talk about the need to raise the age of criminal responsibility to better support young children, writes Jesuit Social Services' Media Relations Manager KATHRYN KERNOHAN. This week is Law Week (May 14-20), an opportunity for members of the community to learn more about elements of the legal system as…
New approaches are needed to work with repeat offenders
- 19 April 2018
As the Crime Statistics Agency releases research showing that a small number of repeat offenders are responsible for more than 40 per cent of incidents recorded by Victoria Police, Jesuit Social Services' Media Relations Manager KATHRYN KERNOHAN writes that new approaches to working with repeat offenders can help people break the cycle of crime. Today,…
A brighter future for women in the justice system equals a brighter future for us all
- 8 March 2018
On International Women's Day, our focus should be investing in addressing the factors that lead to the involvement of women in the justice system, writes Jesuit Social Services volunteer FRAN SHEAHAN. Women prisoners, like all of us, belong to a complex system where relationships are critical to wellbeing. The interdependence at the heart of relationship…
Provocative rhetoric undermines the capacity for communities to thrive
- 3 March 2018
Jesuit Social Services’ long-standing work supporting the settlement of newly arrived communities is based on our belief that all new arrivals to Australia deserve a chance to flourish. For over 40 years Jesuit Social Services has been engaging effectively with successive waves of new migrant groups to improve personal resilience and build a strong sense…
Is Australia really being overrun by youth crime on the rise?
- 23 February 2018
Young offenders must be seen and treated differently to adults, and youth justice strategies should be based on evidence of what works, writes Jesuit Social Services volunteer FRAN SHEAHAN. In a recent article by Jesuit Social Services CEO Julie Edwards, published in Children Australia Vol 42 No 4, Ms Edwards outlined that both the numbers…
Vulnerable young people need support, not stigma
- 3 January 2018
Focusing on punitive measures as a means of tackling crime deprives us of the opportunity to constructively discuss effective solutions that address the causes of alienation and disengagement young people often experience, writes Jesuit Social Services Communications Coordinator ANDREW GILLETT. Jesuit Social Services has been working with young people who have been involved with the…
Raise the age of criminal responsibility
- 29 November 2017
Jesuit Social Services has joined more than 50 Victorian organisations in signing an open letter to Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews, calling on the Government to raise the minimum age of criminal responsibility from 10 to 14 years of age. The letter outlines evidence that shows most children under the age of 14 do not have…
Beyond punishment
- 14 November 2017
ANDY HAMILTON SJ explores how justice can hold people to account while also offering hope and a pathway forward. In recent years in Australia justice has increasingly been seen through the lens of punishment. It is retributive. You do the crime, you do the time. In public controversies about justice critics usually complain that the…