Victim impact conferencing working to get young offenders back on track, data shows
YOUNG criminals forced to participate in conferencing with their victims are less likely to reoffend, according to new police data.
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YOUNG criminals forced to participate in conferencing with their victims are less likely to reoffend, according to new police data.
The NT Police 2019/2020 annual report reveals almost 70 per cent of kids made to participate in conferencing did not reoffend within six months of the conference.
The figures over a 12-month period are largely the same with 63 per cent of kids not reoffending.
The conferencing initiative, known as youth diversion, is typically given to kids who are first-time offenders.
In total 928 kids were considered for youth diversion with 484 children being given diversion.
Last financial year 203 youths participated in a conference between the victims of crime and the offender.
Acting NT Children’s Commissioner Sally Sievers said the statistics proved punitive measures weren’t the best course of action for children.
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“This data supports national and international evidence that this type of restorative justice has a more significant impact on offending behaviour than punitive measures,” she said.
“Youth justice conferencing enables young people to engage with their victims, understand the impact their behaviour has and to undertake actions that give back to the community to make amends for their offending.”
Ms Sievers said the number of diversions handed out by police had dropped slightly compared to the 2018/2019 financial year but was on par with the national average.
NT Police Commander David Proctor said police were seeing success from the program.
“Out of 190 individual youths that completed a youth justice conference, 132 individual youths (69.5 per cent) did not reoffend within six months of undertaking a youth justice conference,” Cdr Proctor said.
“That is 132 youths that we did not see reoffend or return back in to the youth justice system.”
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Cdr Proctor said there were no specific plans to change the youth diversion program.
“Northern Territory Police constantly work with partner agencies … to explore opportunities to improve the diversion process,” he said.
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