Extra $106 million allocated for youth justice services

The Queensland Government has allocated an extra $106 million over four years to expand and improve its successful youth justice programs.

Minister for Communities and Youth Warren Pitt said the government’s investment in programs to divert young people from offending and make communities safer was returning dividends.

He said the success of programs, however, had placed increased pressure on local services.

“Accordingly, the Queensland Government has allocated an extra $105.98 million over four years to boost and expand youth justice services throughout the state,” Mr Pitt said.

“Estimated expenditure on youth justice services by the Queensland Government, through the Department of Communities, for the current financial year is in the order of $90 million,” Mr Pitt said.

“The extra allocation will include new money totalling $30.36 million in 2007–08, which represents an increase of more than 30 per cent for these essential services.

“About $12.6 million over four years will go to the youth justice conferencing initiative, which is a diversionary and restorative justice approach to youth crime.

“Conferencing continues to record high success rates – surveys show that 97 per cent of victims who participated were satisfied with the outcome, while 98.3 per cent of police participants expressed satisfaction.”

Mr Pitt said similar percentages were being recorded in the numbers of young people completing community service orders.

“These programs do work. As a result, both magistrates and police are referring significant numbers of young people to these programs as alternatives to detention or other penalties,” he said.

“The funding will help ensure our service centres have the operational capacity to manage this extra demand for youth justice conferences, including the increased involvement of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander young people.

“Furthermore, $5.56 million will be used during the next four years to improve the development and delivery of culturally appropriate programs within youth justice service centres and develop effective partnerships with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities.”

Mr Pitt said the youth justice system would also receive $5.6 million over four years, including $1.1 million in 2007–08, to reduce re-offending.

“This includes extending the bail support program and trialling a young offender community response service,” he said.

“This service will support young people subject to supervised youth justice orders.

“Importantly, it will also reduce the risk of further entrenching them in the criminal justice system by addressing both their offending behaviours and welfare needs.”

Mr Pitt said the State Budget provided a total of $82.3 million over the next four years for various initiatives in relation to youth detention centres, including:
• more facilities to provide educational, vocational and therapeutic services
• upgraded infrastructure to improve health, safety and security at the Brisbane and Townsville youth detention centres
• extra service delivery staff, such as caseworkers, to respond to the increase in the number of young people in detention
• a skills development program for youth workers
• a new information management system to improve operational efficiency and accountability.

Mr Pitt said the Juvenile Justice Act 1992 would also be reviewed to ensure that Queensland’s youth justice system was based on a robust and best-practice legislative framework.

Media contact: Minister Pitt’s Office 3235 4280