Jesuit Social Services’ election platform, Creating a just and safe Northern Territory, calls on parties and candidates to commit to two key areas for action to tackle the root causes of disadvantage:
1. Ensure all children and young people have the opportunity to flourish
- Ensure all children have access to early childhood education and health services to give them the best start to life
- Ensure high-quality education is accessible for all school children in the Territory by introducing a needs based funding model
- Fund Bail Support programs and Bail Accommodation for young people
- Invest in restorative justice programs for young people in contact with the justice system
- Embrace cross-service trauma-informed care and practice.
2. Provide a humane and therapeutic response for people with cognitive and psychiatric impairments in the justice system
- Remove the indefinite detention of people who are deemed unfit to plead from the relevant legislation
- Commit fully to the principle of detention as a place of last resort for all people
- Provide alternative rehabilitative responses in the community for people found unfit to plead due to cognitive impairment
- Develop culturally responsive assessment and screening tools for people with cognitive and psychiatric impairment
- Ensure all relevant staff in the justice system receive adequate support and training to enhance their awareness and understanding of cognitive impairment
- Develop a staged approach to release from custody for people with cognitive and psychiatric impairment, involving day release to build connections to community and links with support services
- Prevent homelessness among people with cognitive disabilities exiting prison by developing a cooperative approach with housing services with a specific focus on the needs of people with cognitive or psychiatric impairment, and/or complex needs.
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