WA initiative to divert children away from criminal justice system

By PETER ROWE

A new initiative aimed at diverting vulnerable young children from entering and becoming entrenched in the criminal justice system will be trialled in Perth and Geraldton.

The Youth Engagement Program (YEP), operated by the Aboriginal Legal Service of WA, currently provides a culturally secure bail support program for young Aboriginal people in Perth and the Kimberley.

The Cook Government will expand YEP to Geraldton and also invest in a new, parallel program targeting non-Aboriginal young people in Perth and Geraldton, to be operated by Legal Aid WA.

This will ensure that young people on bail are provided with support to prevent them from breaching bail conditions or committing other crimes.

The programs use bail as an opportunity to transition young people to services that can support them in the longer term.

“Our priority is keeping the community safe and the On Track to Thrive pilot will support police and reduce the number of young people from offending in Geraldton.” Geraldton MLA Lara Dalton said.

“Expanding local youth bail support programs will also divert children from further contact with the criminal justice system.”

The On Track to Thrive pilot program will focus on five to nine-year-old children who currently receive no response in relation to offending behaviours because they are under the minimum age of criminal responsibility, and fall outside the scope of the criminal justice system.