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For children’s sake: Raise the age of criminal responsibility
Imagine going back to your 10-year-old self. You’re standing outside a cinema, watching people stream in to see a new film that you’re dying to watch. You wish you had a few dollars to buy a ticket but you spent the little pocket money you receive on a few lollies at school this week. Perhaps it…
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Royal Commission into Deaths in Custody: up to us to improve outcomes for future generations
Today marks 25 years since the landmark Royal Commission into Deaths in Custody handed down its final report. The report made 339 recommendations on how the Federal Government could work to reduce the over-representation of Aboriginal people in our criminal justice system. Twenty five years later it is an indictment on our nation that we…
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Child Protection Week shines spotlight on link between trauma and criminal activity
Evidence of clear links between involvement with the Child Protection system and involvement with the criminal justice system highlights the need for greater support to prevent vulnerable young people from a lifetime of cycling in and out of prison, says Jesuit Social Services. To mark National Child Protection Week, Jesuit Social Services has completed a…
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Known unknowns – youth justice
On Wednesday 16 November Jesuit Social Services CEO Julie Edwards joined host Jon Faine on ABC 774 to discuss youth justice as part of his ‘Known Unknowns’ series. Listen below to what Julie has to say about the challenge of dealing with a small number of young people committing frequent and serious crimes while overall…
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Offending rate remains steady but prison costs spike by almost $1 billion
Despite the rate of offenders in Australia remaining steady over the past five years, the national imprisonment rate has jumped by an alarming 25 per cent – resulting in a staggering spike in the cost of prisons by almost a billion dollars (to a total of $3.8 billion) during the same period. The analysis is…
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Adult prison is unequivocally unfit for children
Jesuit Social Services has thrown its support behind the Human Rights Law Centre’s fresh legal challenge against the detention of children in Barwon Prison. “The Government’s decision late last year to detain vulnerable young children in the youth justice system was a major step backwards. Less than a year after the abuse and neglect of…
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Isolation of young people undermines community safety
The use of isolation in Victoria’s youth justice facilities is counter-productive and risks entrenching rather than correcting poor behaviour, says Jesuit Social Services, following a new report by the Commissioner for Children and Young People. The report into isolation, separation and lockdown practices tabled in Parliament today found that isolation was imposed at least nine…
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careers
Intensive Support Worker – Youth Justice Community Support Service
We are looking for an experienced staff member to join our South East Youth Justice Community Support Service team as an Intensive Support Worker.
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How conversation helped Billy reflect on harm caused.
"It was like a wake-up call for me that I had to change, I needed to stop doing bad stuff and concentrate on my future,” said Billy*. He had taken part in Jesuit Social Services’ Youth Justice Group Conference program. The process encouraged him to take responsibility and to make amends for his offending.
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Reflections on Caux Dialogue on Land and Security
Earlier this year Jesuit Social Services’ Ecological Justice Policy Officer BRONWYN LAY joined experts in Switzerland to deepen her understanding of the links between land degradation and human security. She reflects on her experiences and Jesuit Social Services’ journey of reconciliation with creation. In July this year I helped organise the Caux Dialogue on Land…