MEDIA RELEASE - Friday 15th July 2011

At risk young people in the Northern Territory need a flexible and long-term response to stabilise their lives and help them develop skills and be ready to work, Jesuit Social Services said in their submission to the Northern Territory Youth Justice Review today.

Jesuit Social Services Project Development Officer, Xavier Desmarchelier said young people need to be treated as individuals to take account of the issues they face and to help prevent them from entering a lifelong cycle of reoffending.

"This review provides an opportunity for the Northern Territory to put in place proven approaches that will address the underlying reasons why young people offend and help the community to better deal with youth offending.

"These young people need a system of preventative and diversionary measures and the emphasis must be placed on individualising the way we respond to youth offending.

"There is a strong link between limited education and offending which warrants a powerful argument for making education a priority as a preventative measure.

"Parents need to be provided with an opportunity to learn about appropriate childcare as young people who have experienced poor parenting, particularly those who have been exposed to parents with drug or alcohol dependency, are more likely to practice anti-social behaviour.

"Studies have shown that incarcerated young offenders have higher rates of criminal activity after release than their counterparts who received intensive family and community-based support.

"Jesuit Social Services runs a number of programs designed to prevent young offenders from entering the prison system. The Jesuit Social Services' Community Group Conferencing program has been very successful in supporting young offenders to understand the impact of their behaviour and make amends through having to face and hear from their victims and other affected members of the community.

"Evaluations have shown that over 80 per cent of participants in this program have not reoffended within two years.

In its submission, Jesuit Social Services emphasises the need to keep young people separate from adult offenders in the prison system.

"Given their maturational status, their vulnerability, and their prospects for rehabilitation, young people must be kept safely and without risk of harm, separately from adults," Mr Desmarchelier said.

Jesuit Social Services works with over 500 young people a year, the majority of whom are high risk young people with complex and multiple problems and needs; such complex needs include mental health issues, disability (including intellectual disability), drug and alcohol misuse, homelessness, and health issues.

MEDIA INTERVIEWS -: Jesuit Social Services Project Development Officer, Xavier Desmarchelier
MEDIA ENQUIRIES -: Stephanie De Campo (Media) 0432 828 004