Jesuit Social Services wants targets for tackling youth crime, incarceration rates
TARGETS for youth offending, incarceration and recidivism must be implemented if Victoria is to overcome its crime woes, according to a new report.
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TARGETS must be implemented if Victoria is to overcome its youth crime woes, a new report has recommended.
The Jesuit Social Services analysis — to be released today — follows concern about a small but hardcore group of repeat child crooks involved in increasingly serious and violent offending.
The findings are based on an analysis of more than three dozen youth justice institutions in the US and Europe.
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Jesuit Social Services chief executive officer Julie Edwards told the Herald Sun targets for youth offending, incarceration and recidivism were needed if Victoria was to get serious about tackling the problem.
The targets could be based on international standards or what was deemed appropriate relative to historical figures.
Construction of a $288 million, 224-bed youth justice centre at Cherry Creek west of Werribee made targets especially important, Ms Edwards said.
“We have to have some brakes on because at the moment we’re building a new prison and we will inevitably fill that prison unless we have some very clear targets,’’ she said.
“We fear a creep whereby we will just see more and more young people incarcerated.
“Other countries have set these targets — it just keeps everyone pointing in the same direction. It pushes our focus back earlier and earlier to prevention.
“We should make prison as our absolute last resort because we know that once you’ve touched into that system you’re more likely to come back.”
Jesuit Social Services representatives visited Missouri, Washington DC, New York, Seattle, Germany, Norway, the UK and Spain as part of the study, funded through a long-term supporter.
The organisation wants more done to address recidivism — noting 74 per cent of young people in detention nationwide return to supervision within 12 months.
Providing education and rehabilitation for young people even if on remand and specific targets to help youths from indigenous backgrounds were also recommended.
“There has been an orientation towards a more punitive response to young people rather than holding on to an approach which focuses more on rehabilitation,’’ Ms Edwards said.
“Where there is still a real possibility of helping them reset their lives we think we should be doing everything possible to make that a reality for them, for their families and for the broader community.
“Ultimately it will make the community safer, it will make them have lives where they’re productive and healthy and free from crime.
“And it will save money.
“Prisons are notoriously expensive “There is a place for prison for certain people who are really a risk to the community. But there is actually very few people who fit that criteria.”
A Department of Justice spokeswoman said the government was working to reduce youth offending.
“The government is rebuilding the entire youth justice system through its record investment to keep staff, young offenders and the community safe,” she said.
A Department of Justice spokeswoman said the government was working to reduce youth offending.
“The government is rebuilding the entire youth justice system through its record investment to keep staff, young offenders and the community safe,” she said.