Juvenile Justice Aboriginal Strategic Directions Progress 2014 - 2015

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ABORIGINAL S T R AT E G I C DIRECTIONS PROGRESS SNAPSHOTS2014-2015

INTRODUCTION The annual Juvenile Justice Aboriginal Strategic Directions (ASD) has changed the way we report and capture information on our Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander services. With Juvenile Justice a part of the Justice cluster, new initiatives and cluster focused projects has enabled us to look at new ways of doing business. The short timeframes helps us measure and track our progress and re-evaluate areas where we need to improve on but also highlight areas in what we are doing well in.

THE FIVE KEY TARGETS ARE: Examine the effectiveness of JJ funded services for A&TSI clients

Build an evidence base of ‘what works’ with A&TSI clients to reduce re-offending

Identify best practice for A&TSI young people participating in Youth Justice Conferences and their completion of outcome plans

Continue to roll out the ‘ cultural respect training pilot’ to create a JJ Cultural Respect Training Package for staff

OUR ANNUAL STANDING COMMITMENTS ARE:

Aim to increase the number of A&TSI staff acting up in high positions and transitioning between community, custody and central office in 2015/16

WHO ARE OUR CLIENTS AND WHAT ARE THEIR NEEDS?

Develop an annual data report to better understand the profile of A&TSI young people in the JJ system

2013/14,

Try to increase the number of A&TSI YJC conveners Continue to support Aboriginal Community Consultative Committees in every Juvenile Justice Centre

2014/15,

740 Aboriginal young people were admitted into custody.

631 Aboriginal young people were admitted into custody.

Support the annual Aboriginal staff conference Support and resource Aboriginal Regional Advisory Committees (ARAC) Support and develop staff working with A&TSI clients and communities

Although the numbers are lower than in 2013/14 the proportion of Aboriginal young people is still higher at 52% of the total young people admitted into custody.

JJ CLIENTS ADMITTED INTO CUSTODY IN PERIOD 01/07/2013 - 30/06/2014

ABORIGINAL

OTHER

UNKNOWN

JJ CLIENTS ADMITTED INTO CUSTODY IN PERIOD 01/07/2014 - 30/06/2015

AUSTRALIAN

478

MAN

483

631

636

740

363

75

67

WOMAN

1,521

252 1,225

333

AS AT 02/07/2015, JJ’S HAS A TOTAL OF 313 DETAINEES AND A&TSI CLIENTS REPRESENT 54%

UK

1%

ASIA

2%

NEW ZEALAND

3% ARAB

3%

AFRICAN

2%

ATSI

54% UNKNOWN

2%

AUSTRALIAN

24%

PACIFIC ISLANDER

8%

ORDER TYPES FOR CLIENTS IN DETENTION

41

4

CONTROL - S19

APPEAL

159

REMAND

109

CONTROL

CENTRE

TOTAL NO.

ATSI CLIENTS

ATSI %

Acmena 21

27

78

2

4

50

35

88

40

29

72

40

10

16

62.5

20

23

87

29

43

67

23

40

57.5

Austinmer

Baxter

Cobham

Juniperina

Orana

Reiby

Riverina

Current snapshots:

Key Target 1

Build an evidence base of ‘what works’ with A&TSI clients to reduce re-offending

A literature review on ‘what works’ with Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander clients is currently being put together.

Juvenile Justice has also just completed an evaluation of programs.

Aboriginal Programs Dthina Yuwali (DY) and Our Journey to Respect (OJTR) have been evaluated and recommendations to have the programs adapted and suitable for one on one delivery have been approved. The program changes are currently being undertaken.

DY 2014/2015

Continue to roll out the “cultural respect training pilot” to create a JJ Cultural Respect Training Package for staff

Delivery of both programs was conducted at least once throughout the year for each centre; however Acmena conducted DY three times throughout the period.

A literature review of Aboriginal programs for girls has also been undertaken. Deadly Sista Girls (DSG) and the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Youth Project (YP) were reviewed as possible pilot programs for Aboriginal Girls in custody at Juniperina Juvenile Justice centre.

Our Journey to Respect 2014/2015

54 Young People

Key Target 2

For the reporting period July 2014 – June 2015 o DY was delivered to 54 young people o OJTR was delivered to 58 young people

The Cultural Respect Training (CRT) pilots have been delivered and a review of the training package is underway.

For 2014/2015 the cultural respect training pilot program was delivered twice to staff at centre office. As the pilot training is still being packaged up, the cultural respect training has not been rolled out to all staff.

58 Young People

The Juvenile Justice Working with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples Good Practice Guide has been released to help support the Cultural Respect Framework. The guide provides some resources, tools and tips to use when working with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander clients, their families and their communities.

Key Target 3

Examine the effectiveness of JJ funded services for A&TSI clients

The Joint Support Program (JSP) is Juvenile Justice’s model to fund community service providers. The target group for the JSP is young people under the supervision of Juvenile Justice within the community who have been assessed as having a medium to high level of offending related to risk and need.

The JSP model seeks to emphasise outcomes, flexibility and a con-

tinuum of service delivery between Juvenile Justice and funded organisations through strong collaboration and case management processes, client-focused strategies and regular review meetings to ensure target outcomes are being achieved.

For the reporting period 2014/2015, 471 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander young people were referred to a JSP service.

REFERRALS Northern Region

Western Region

105

South Region

North Region

74

85

182

34%

of all JSP referrals were of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander young people.

440

362

200

340

182

Region Met Nth 212

Met Sth Northern Western

105

85 74

0

Total Aboriginal

0

Referrals

Key Target 4

Aim to increase the number of A&TSI staff acting up in high positions and transitioning between community, custody and central office in 2014/15

Juvenile Justice continues to be a leading employer of Aboriginal people in New South Wales. About 8.9 per cent of the total Juvenile Justice workforce identify as Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islanders, in positions ranging across administrative, managerial and front-line areas.

Metro South: All staff of the Metropolitan/Southern region are encouraged and considered for career development opportunities. All opportunities are communicated within the region, and the region’s APO role reinforces such communication to Aboriginal &Torres Strait Islander staff members.

Acmena JJC: Acmena fully supports and encourages Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander staff to apply - Currently have a staff member acting as Caseworker at Grafton JJCS (commenced H/D on 29.06.15).

Far North Coast: 2 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander staff members have been released to act in higher duties roles.

Mid North Coast: Staff member acting up as Assistant Manager.

New England: Discussed in supervision sessions and assessed when opportunities arise. Aboriginal staff are encouraged to backfill in higher duties.

Orana JJC: 1x Identified Unit Manager backfilled in Assistant Manager Generalist role and 1x Identified Area Manager relieved in Centre Manager’s role at Orana during this period.

Newcastle: This occurs but can have a flow on effect when the original identified position cannot be backfilled by an Aboriginal person.

Western Regional Office: 1 x Identified Area Manager acted in RD Western role for 1 week during this period

Riverina JJC: 2 x Aboriginal staff from Riverina JJC have backfilled in JJCW positions in Wagga Office from 3 Feb to 30 June with one still ongoing.

Riverina JJC: 1 x Aboriginal staff member has backfilled as a Unit Manager from 9/3 to 17/4/2015 at Riverina JJC.

Riverina JJC: 3 x Aboriginal staff have backfilled as Shift Supervisors during this period at Riverina JJC.

BAL: Aboriginal staff in the Bail Assistant Line have acted in higher duties on several occasions and the Branch will continue to support this.

Metro North: Metro North has some Aboriginal staff that are in Managers roles and others are encouraged to apply or have acted up in those roles when the opportunity arises.

Security & Intelligence Unit: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander staff at the Security & Intelligence Unit have acted in higher duties during this period

Court Logistics: Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander staff that have applied for higher duty positions are considered, encouraged and supported re fulfilling the duties of the higher graded position.

All staff in the ASCU have had the opportunity to act in high roles for the reporting period July 2014 – June 2015

Key Target 5

Identify best practice for A&TSI young people participating in Youth Justice Conferences and their completion of outcome plans

128

WESTERN REGION

128 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander clients from Western region were referred or completed outcome plans

123

METRO NORTH REGION

123 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander clients from Metro North region were referred or completed outcome plans

117

NORTHERN REGION

117 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander clients from Northern region were referred or completed outcome plans

61

METRO SOUTH REGION

61 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander clients Metro South region were referred or completed outcome plans

TOTAL REFERRALS

UNKNOWN INDIGENOUS STATUS

ABORIGINAL

396

123

66

METRO NORTH REGION

61 206

436 METRO SOUTH REGION

117

404

138

NORTHERN

229

128

42

WESTERN

28%

of all YJC referrals were of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander young people.