Responding to Children in Juvenile Justice Centres in South Australia

The Commissioner for Children and Young people invited us to submit a case study on an issue that we see facing children and young people. Shelter SA highlighted young people exiting juvenile justice centres, a small but extremely vulnerable cohort. According to the Office of the Guardian for Children and Young People, Aboriginal children and young people are vastly over-represented in the youth justice system. In 2017-18, Aboriginal children and young people made up 66% of the daily average of 10 to 17 year-olds in detention; this statistic is much higher than the national average of 57%. It is crucial that children leaving youth detention have an affordable, secure, safe and appropriate home and family environment to return to; the cost of doing nothing is high and may increase the rates of recidivism.

Shelter SA's Submission. 

2019-06-24T14:30:47+09:30