Figures cast doubt on effectiveness of $4.1m NT government youth bail program

SUPPORTED bail facilities for alleged youth offenders did not make a difference to whether or not they successfully completed their bail order in the last financial year, according to documents tabled in parliament.

Recent documents tabled in parliament cast doubt on the success of the NT Government’s youth bail program. Picture: Nicholas Falconer/ Sunshine Coast Daily

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SUPPORTED bail facilities for alleged youth offenders did not make a difference to whether or not they successfully completed their bail order in the last financial year, according to documents tabled in parliament.

Opposition Territory families minister Josh Burgoyne asked Territory Families Minister Kate Worden how many youths who used these facilities successfully completed their bail period compared to how many who didn’t use the services, during NT budget estimates in December.

After taking the question on notice, Ms Worden confirmed the rate of success for youths in bail facilities and those not was exactly the same in 2019-20 – 76 per cent.

According to the Department of Territory Families, $4.1m was allocated to bail support programs in the last financial year.

Mr Burgoyne said the figures showed the shortcomings in the government’s approach to youth offending.

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“The Gunner Labor government spends about $18.2m per year on youth diversion and bail support. We now know that, according to their own figures, supported bail accommodation appears to make no difference whatsoever,” he said.

“This also assumes that all breaches of bail are being reported to the courts, something which the opposition continues to question.

“For example, we know that electronic monitoring data is filtered through Territory Families before being passed on to police.”

However, Ms Worden said supported bail programs had a positive impact overall on improving outcomes for youth offenders.

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“Supported bail programs for at-risk young people have been highly successful,” she said.

Ms Worden said since 2015-16 there had been an increase in young people successfully completing their bail conditions, rising from 53 per cent in 2015-16 to 76 per cent in 2019-20.