By Matthew Sims
West Melbourne community legal centre WEstJustice has welcomed a $300,000 state government allocation towards a pilot project to divert children and young people away from the criminal justice system, thanks to a $300,000 state government allocation.
Co-ordinated with Victoria Police, Victoria Legal Aid, Youth Support and Advocacy Services and other youth services, the pilot project would involve conducting early and consistent referrals from police to youth services, greater use of caution and diversions, training support for operational police and preventative education.
WEstjustice criminal law and youth law clinics program manager Angus Woodward said the Youth Crime Prevention and Early Intervention Project [YCPEIP] was an “ambitious” pilot project.
“It represents a unique and unprecedented level of collaboration between Victoria Police, the legal sector, courts, youth justice and local youth work service providers,” he said.
“The program seeks to reduce crime in the west by diverting eligible children and young people away from the criminal justice system and referring them to appropriate support services to address the underlying factors that might be contributing to their offending behaviour.
“Evidence shows the later a young person enters the criminal justice system, the less likely they are to stay in it.”
Police and Crime Prevention Minister Anthony Carbines visited the Visy Cares Hub in Sunshine recently to announce the $300,000 of state government funding towards the pilot project.
Mr Woodward said the funding would contribute towards the success of the pilot project and make for a more cost-effective and efficient method of crime reduction.
“This funding recognises the mountain of work that has gone into developing and implementing this program and will hopefully help us to evidence what we believe works: getting in as early as possible with young people at risk of entering the criminal justice system, providing wrap around holistic support to them and their families and focusing on rehabilitation,” he said.
