Released 22/03/2018
A report tabled today in the Legislative Assembly shows the Blueprint for Youth Justice in the ACT 2012-22 is continuing to deliver better outcomes for children and young people.
The release of a mid-term progress report shows the number of young people detained at Bimberi Youth Justice Centre has dropped by 42 per cent over the five years to 2016-17, and by 48 per cent for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children and young people.
The report shows that we are on the right track. Since 2011-12, the number of young people apprehended by ACT Policing has decreased by 39 per cent, the number of young people under youth justice supervision has decreased by 32 per cent and the number of nights young people spent in detention has fallen by 53 per cent.
These results mean fewer young people are coming into contact with, or becoming further involved with the youth justice system. By focusing on prevention, early intervention and diversion, we’re seeing evidence that youth crime is being prevented and community safety is improved.
While we have made good progress, the report identifies a number of emerging challenges that need to be addressed to ensure we continue to achieve better outcomes for children, young people and their families.
These challenges include the need to better support young people with disability and mental health concerns who come into contact with the youth justice system; making sure we turn young lives around at the earliest opportunity; helping young people to successfully transition back into the community; and continuing to address the over-representation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander young people in the youth justice system.
This report is informing the work of the Blueprint Taskforce I established last year. The Taskforce comprises key community and government representatives and is consult with the Canberra community before advising the Government on the key priorities for the next five years of the Blueprint.
Last year, I also committed to developing a Headline Indicators Report for the Bimberi Youth Justice Centre. The first of these reports was also tabled in the Legislative Assembly today.
I am committed to being as transparent as possible about Bimberi’s operation and performance, and this report will complement the existing mechanisms providing robust oversight of Bimberi.
The ACT has a progressive youth justice system that seeks to achieve a community where fewer children and young people are engaged with youth justice and every possible opportunity is provided to children and young people to get their lives back on track.
- Statement ends -
Rachel Stephen-Smith, MLA | Media Releases