A “web-like structure” of disadvantage is preventing young people from prospering, leaving them floundering and often turning to crime. 

Locking vulnerable young people up in overcrowded youth detention centres is not the answer, chief executive of Jesuit Social Services Julie Edwards says.

She believes the only way to break the vicious cycle is by intervening early in communities where social services know there is entrenched disadvantage. 

Ballarat figures are alarming – males aged 15-17 years were involved in 60 per cent of alleged youth offences from October 2014 to September 2015. 

Overall, Ballarat had an increase of 7.7 per cent in total offences over 12 months, and a 16.88 per cent increase over 24 months.

What is also alarming is the social disadvantage in our city. The 2015 Dropping Off The Edge report found Wendouree was in the top quarter of most disadvantaged suburbs in the state. Sebastopol, Bonshaw, Delacombe, Lake Gardens and Mitchell Park were also ranked as being “most disadvantaged”. 

“We’ve got 15 years of data around Victoria and what we’ve found is there is a very small percentage of postcodes that yield most of the disadvantage across the state,” Ms Edwards said.

“In general, in Victoria, six per cent of postcodes accounted for 50 per cent of the prison population.

“When we were looking at youth remand in 2010 we found 25 per cent of children on youth justice orders were from just 2.6 per cent of postcodes.” 

Despite much work from community groups and government bodies, the postcode of 3355, Wendouree, has moved from being in the top 10 per cent most disadvantaged areas to sitting just below the worst. 

“What we know, is there is a web-like structure of disadvantage, including in your own area, which limits young peoples’ outcomes,” Ms Edwards said.

Long-term unemployment, prison rates, early school leaving are all factors that tend to be present in highly disadvantaged postcodes. 

Ms Edwards said the current juvenile justice system was both “under pressure” and in some parts “badly broken”. 

“This is shown by the fact about 80 per cent of young people in custody at Parkville are on remand, meaning they have not been convicted of an offence,” Ms Edwards said. 

“There are a number of unfortunate consequences associated with filling up youth detention centres with sentenced people creating a vicious circle.

“Further, having so many young people on remand means that the system gets blocked up, causing under-servicing and delays in processes such as appearance at court and resolution of cases.”

Ms Edwards said the key to ending the inter-generational cycle was reaching these families and children before they entered the justice system. 

She has called on politicians to reduce their focus on a tough on crime stance and instead look at the problem holistically. 

She said suburb data showed children who did not attend their eight month maternal child health check went on to score more poorly in school tests and were far more likely to come into contact with the justice system before they were 14.

“What we found is children who were 14 years or under at their first encounter with the justice system are more likely to come from areas that have the highest levels of developmentally vulnerable children,” Ms Edwards said. 

“We are always looking for the silver bullet but if we are serious about this … there needs to be long term commitment and investment (to intervention programs).

“We can do something about turning these things around – the reality is in Victoria there are a small number of young people who are committing and continuing to commit the crimes.”

She said authorities knew who and where these people were, the challenge was to change the cycle. Ms Edwards said this did not mean young people who do commit very serious offences should not be punished. 

“If we really are serious about trying to prevent crime and make communities safer we know the suburbs to go to,” Ms Edwards said. 

Engagement in school remains a critical factor in protecting children from falling into crime.

If prevention programs fail, it is important to intervene early and ensure young people are placed on diversion programs.

Youth Diversion Pilot program

Youth Support Service

A cycle of vulnerability is contributing to the number of recidivist young offenders who see crime as one of their only options in life. 

Ballarat police tasking and co-ordination Senior Sergeant Wendy Lambert says many young recidivist offenders have been exposed to family violence, assault or sexual assault. 

Senior Sergeant Lambert works tirelessly with other police and other agencies to support engagement programs which reduce the likelihood of vulnerable children coming into contact with the youth justice system. 

“Peer pressure has a huge role to play,” Senior Sergeant Lambert said. 

She said the demographics of recidivist offender was changing, with more girls falling into offending groups. 

“We are trying to disrupt that behavior,” Senior Sergeant Lambert.  

Senior Sergeant Lambert said the cycle of vulnerability was not only a policing issue and the community had to address the underlying factors that drove young people to offend. 

“They might be going home to a home environment that is not supportive. They might be (behaving in a certain way) to survive in their environment,” Senior Sergeant Lambert said.

“We might ask ‘why does a child break their bail curfew?’ For some that might be better than going to their home environment.” 

Sometimes, when children are in an unsupportive home environment – the best way to reach the children is through school programs. The key is to do so while they are engaged. 

“You can get to them in a school environment, in a sporting environment or creative environment,” Senior Sergeant Lambert said.

“It is when children become vulnerable for whatever reason that they often make the wrong choices.” 

Ballarat Superintendent Andrew Allen said he works with a number of other state government departments, such as DHHS; education and justice and regulation on a number of programs to prevent young people coming into contact with the justice system. Senior Sergeant Lambert said in some cases children had to be referred to the court system.

“What we are trying to look at is how do we help link with services and give a more holistic approach,” Senior Sergeant Lambert said. 

YOUNG children in residential care can be involved in high risk behaviour because they have complex needs and have been exposed to high trauma, a leading provider says.

Berry Street operates around six residential houses in Ballarat for children who are at the highest risk of harm, acting chief executive Fran O’Toole said.

“Their complex needs are usually a response to significant trauma such as a abuse and violence and/ or neglect experienced earlier in their lives,” Ms O’Toole said.

“Young people in residential care are sometimes involved in high risk behaviour as a result of trauma experienced.

“They are at higher risk than other young people of self-harming, poor mental health, alcohol and other drug problems, being sexually exploited and interacting with the youth justice system.”

Children in residential care undertake therapeutic support, case management and education, including at the new Berry Street school that will open this year.