Report 18: 2017

Diverting Young People Away From Court

Recommendations

 

  1. By the end of 2017, WA Police should improve its diversion of young people by:

a. identifying scheduled offence information in performance monitoring data

b. ensuring officers include a brief record of their reasons for choosing not to divert when they complete paperwork to charge a young person with an offence.

2. To improve young people’s access to services, by the end of June 2018, the DoJ and the Department of Communities should:

a. review caution follow ups and communicate expectations to youth justice offices

b. reintroduce screening tools for young people referred by police to JJTs, and introduce structured assessments for those who screen as high-risk

c. ensure services young people are directed to match the assessment of their needs, and that they are assessed as effective.

3. By the end of June 2018, agencies should work together to improve outcomes for young offenders by:

a. ensuring young people are screened and assessed to determine what help they need

b. extending case management to young people before their offending reaches serious levels, if they are assessed as high-risk and have complex needs

c. defining desired outcomes for youth justice diversion

d. measuring youth diversion performance and progress towards desired outcomes

e. determining early diversion service needs and gaps

f. better educating police officers about diversion

g. reviewing local collaboration initiatives to ensure they focus on outcomes.

Page last updated: November 2, 2017

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