Government sets up taskforce to push youth justice reforms
The state government has announced a multi-agency taskforce to speed up and improve reforms to youth justice. Here’s what it will look like.
Tasmania
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The state government has announced a multi-agency taskforce to speed up and improve reforms to youth justice.
Premier Jeremy Rockliff said on Thursday said his government was committed to closing the Ashley Youth Detention Centre as soon as possible and to working to immediately reduce the number of young people entering detention through intensive case management, diversion from offending and reducing reoffending.
The government released the consultation draft of Change for Children: Tasmania’s 10 year Strategy for upholding the rights of children by preventing, identifying and responding to child sexual abuse on Thursday.
Developing such a strategy was one of the recommendations of the Commission of Inquiry into the Tasmanian Government’s Responses to Child Sexual Abuse in Institutional Settings.
It is the result of consultation with more than 400 Tasmanians, including victim-survivors of child sexual abuse and families, caregivers, supporters, friends and advocates of victims and survivors.
Mr Rockliff said the Youth Justice Reform Taskforce will begin its work immediately and will report to Department of Premier and Cabinet secretary Katherine Morgan-Wicks with an action plan by September.
“We will continue to work with stakeholders to develop a system that improves outcomes for children and young people and their families, and keeps our community safe,” Premier Rockliff said.
The taskforce will work to Youth Justice Blueprint that require cross agency co-operation, including: specific actions to support a reduction in the number of children in detention, prioritising those on remand where it is safe to do so, Mr Rockliff said.
The Liberals also pledged during the election campaign to set up a strike force to target youth crime and repeat offenders, prompting some commentators to question whether that would end up putting more children into detention.
Minister for Children and Youth Roger Jaensch said he would work closely with the Taskforce to progress reforms as part of the Youth Justice Blueprint 2024-2034.
“This wholesale reform of the youth justice system is centred around a contemporary, integrated and therapeutic approach, focused on the rights of children, rehabilitation and breaking the cycle of offending to create generational change,” he said.
“The whole-of-government Taskforce will lead work to further accelerate implementation of the Blueprint and all related recommendations, through the preparation of an immediate Action Plan.”
A comprehensive plan of action for these and additional initiatives will be provided to the government by September 2024.
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