Thursday, 2 May 2019

Youth crime prevention

In reply to Mr GRIMLEY (Western Victoria) (30 April 2019)

Ms SYMES (Northern Victoria—Minister for Regional Development, Minister for Agriculture, Minister for Resources):

RESPONSE TO SUBSTANTIVE QUESTION

The latest release of quarterly crime statistics for the 12-month period to December 2018 shows a decrease in the overall crime rate in Victoria for the seventh consecutive quarter. The latest data also shows a 4.6 per cent decrease in the number of recorded alleged youth offender incidents.

The Andrews Government is working hard to address the underlying causes of crime and prevent young people becoming engaged in the criminal justice system through a sustained focus on prevention, early intervention and diversion.

The Government funds initiatives such as the Youth Support Service and the Aboriginal Youth Support Service—voluntary, community-based early intervention services for young people at risk of entering the Youth Justice system. These services assist young people with access to education, employment and training, drug and alcohol treatment, and mental health services.

Similarly, the Children’s Court Youth Diversion Service provides an opportunity for eligible young Victorians early in their contact with the Children’s Court to undertake certain activities and interventions, such as improving attendance at school or reengaging in education, and avoid the stigma associated with a criminal record.

More broadly, the Government committed to developing a whole-of-government strategy on preventing crime amongst young cohorts. We are also delivering the necessary reforms to Youth Justice through the implementation of the Youth Justice Review and Strategy: Meeting needs and reducing offending by Penny Armytage and Professor James Ogloff. This was the first comprehensive review into Victoria’s Youth Justice system in nearly two decades. All recommendations have been approved in-full or in-principle.

RESPONSE TO SUPPLEMENTARY QUESTION

Youth Justice case managers collaborate and work with the broader service system to address the needs of young people including education and employment, housing, mental health, alcohol and drugs, disability and family support.

Across government there are a number of initiatives designed to support young people to remain in school or find employment. This includes the Navigator program, that supports young people aged 12–17 years who are not connected to schools or are at risk of disengaging, providing intensive case management and assertive outreach support to disengaged learners to return them to education. Also, the Government’s JobsBank and the Jobs Victoria Employment Network are helping disadvantaged Victorian jobseekers gain employment, including disengaged young people and young people in contact with the Youth Justice system.

The Government has also implemented new Youth Justice orders with strict community-based supervision. For example, young people sentenced to a Youth Control Orders are subject to intensive case management and judicial monitoring, and must engage in education, training or employment and abide by any additional requirements ordered by the court. Additional requirements can include participating in community service, attending alcohol or drug treatment, attending counselling, abiding by a curfew, or not contacting people.

In February this year, Youth Justice implemented a new approach to the case management of young people who are subject to community and custodial based orders. This ensures that where a young person comes into the Youth Justice system, the focus is on rehabilitation, including delivering education and pathways into employment, and providing effective case management and programs that address their offending behaviour, and reducing their risk of re-offending.