Launch of West Kimberley services to boost youth crime prevention, Redman
Author: Terry Redman
Published on: 08-February-2011
A range of services aimed at curbing the rate of young people offending in the West Kimberley was officially launched today by Corrective Services Minister Terry Redman.
The new West Kimberley Youth Justice Services, funded by the State Government’s Royalties for Regions program, would offer early intervention and prevention services for young people at risk of involvement in the criminal justice system.
It is part of a four-year, $43.9million Royalties for Regions project to allow the Department of Corrective Services to implement the services across the Kimberley and Pilbara.
Mr Redman said the West Kimberley Youth Justice Services were modelled on similar services in the Mid-West, Gascoyne and Goldfields regions after they showed outstanding success in tackling youth offending.
“The Kalgoorlie-Boulder and Geraldton services have effectively reduced the number of young people being held in custody, with admissions to Rangeview Remand Centre from these areas dropping by 31 per cent,” the Minister said.
“The early intervention emphasis has also reduced the incidence and severity of youth crime. It is critical to break the downward spiral these young people are on and give them hope for the future.”
Mr Redman said the introduction of the services in the West Kimberley would be a significant boost to local young people, families and communities.
Regional Development Minister Brendon Grylls said the Royalties for Regions-funded program would help local families manage the behaviour of their children and effectively divert young people into proactive services and activities away from criminal behaviour.
“It means fewer young people being held on remand, allowing them to remain engaged with crucial existing networks such as school, employment and family,” Mr Grylls said.
The Minister said the strategy to divert young people away from the formal justice system had become an ‘effective way of improving a young person’s life opportunities and preventing criminal behaviour in the short and long term’.
The community will also benefit from improved community safety because of a predicted drop in youth crime rates, freeing police to return to front-line duties.
The funding will be invested in several key services designed to respond to young people beginning to come to the attention of police and effectively divert them away from offending.
The services include:
- an outreach youth and family support service to offer support and advice to families whose children have been given police cautions or are beginning to show anti-social behaviour
- an extended-hours bail service to keep young people out of custody after arrest
- emergency bail accommodation to support bail if no responsible adult can be located
- dedicated Juvenile Justice Teams to make young people accountable for their actions and give them opportunities to make reparation to the victims of their crimes
- psychological assessment and intervention for young people involved with the service.
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