Megan Mitchell

National Children’s Commissioner

Opening Keynote Presentation 25 March 2014

Juvenile Justice? Having the Opportunity to Thrive

5th Annual National Juvenile Justice Summit

Rydges, Melbourne

CHECK AGAINST DELIVERY

Young People’s Views on Juvenile Justice:

“No prison for kids” – 16 year old male

“(If) the parole board monitored youth progression in custody for long term clients, for early release and leave programs.” – 18 year old male “I would like better carers… so I can feel safe, better stuff to live with…better carers that are more capable of dealing with people in my circumstances.” – 15 year old male

Young People’s Views on Juvenile Justice:

“Laws are getting too harsh and us young offenders are getting long sentences.” – 15 year old male “Juvenile justice doesn’t help kids – it makes them worse.” – 16 year old

Reiby Juvenile Justice Centre

The Opportunity to Thrive

The right to be heard (Article 12): “States Parties shall assure to the child who is capable of forming his or her own views the right to express those views freely in all matters affecting the child, the views of the child being given due weight in accordance with the age and maturity of the child.”

Convention on the Rights of the Child, Article 12

Proportion of young people in NSW juvenile justice detention reporting experiencing serious childhood

abuse or neglect Source: Cashmore, 2011; adapted from Indig et all 2011

Links Between Juvenile Justice and History of Abuse

6 Week Old Baby “Normal” brain

6 Week Old Baby “Foetal Alcohol Syndrome” brain

Prevention and Early Intervention

“Prevention and early intervention help to create resilient families.”

Source: Moore & McDonald, 2013.

6 Week Old Baby “Normal” brain

6 Week Old Baby “Foetal Alcohol Syndrome” brain

Case Study – ‘Casey’

Lifetime institutional costs Source: McCausland et al 2013

Justice Reinvestment

Being shown around Redfern by young participants in the Tribal Warriors program

Bourke Community, NSW

Photo from Bourke Primary School, May 2013

The Right to be Heard

“I… want more help on the outside than being locked up straight away.”

– 15 year old male