Mission Australia
Charity
Donate via PayPal
Early help is best way for juveniles |
| 26 August 2011 |
 Media coverage - Letter to the Editor, Cairns Post, 26 August 2011I respond to the article, ‘Calls to name and shame young offenders’. As one of Australia's leading providers of services to young people in crisis, we know that calls to name and shame adolescents before the courts are counter-productive. This sort of approach fails to address the real reasons why young people are getting involved in crime . If we want to reduce youth crime and stop "the revolving door" in youth detention, we have to help them turn their lives around. Our "diversionary" programs for young offenders, programs that tackle the underlying causes of their behaviour as an alternative to entering the juvenile justice system, have shown they cut offence rates by more than 50 per cent and are also up to 50 times cheaper than detention. These programs are more successful because they recognise and address the signs of problem behaviour and support young people to negotiate problems before offences take place, particularly if they take into account their culture and background. Instead of labelling them as criminals, the programs help troubled youth learn to make a positive contribution to the community and change their lives for the better. This is a good result, not just for the young person, but for the whole community. Instead of looking for additional ways to punish young people, we should invest more in diversionary programs and early intervention services to support young people at risk, so they don't take the wrong path in life and get stuck in the cycle of crime. Penny Gillespie Queensland State Director, Mission Australia This article was originally posted to Cairns Post's Letter to the Editor, 26 August 2011 |
News Updates
| Perth marks National Sorry Day with Archie Roach concertThursday, 24 May 2012The University of WA is the setting for a very special concert on Saturday 26 May when Archie Roach headlines the Sorry Day 2012 Concert.
Presented by the Bringing Them Home Committee (WA) in partnership with Mission Australia and other non-government organisations, the Sorry Day Concert honours and pays respect to the Stolen Generations, past... + Read Full Story |
Living with teens - north-west Sydney information nightsWednesday, 23 May 2012Mission Australia's Clifton Adolescent and Family Solutions (CAFS) and Youth Connections, in partnership with Hornsby Council, the GP Network and the Hills Schools Industry Partnership, are presenting a free series of information nights for parents living with teenagers.
The program will provide parents and carers with an opportunity to... + Read Full Story | More News Articles | ||
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |