Where we are up to
The Aboriginal Youth Justice Strategy is being developed in partnership with the Aboriginal Justice Caucus in line with the principles of self-determination as enshrined in Burra Lotjpa Dunguludja. Caucus has identified five key domains in the Aboriginal Youth Justice Strategy critical to addressing over representation and furthering self-determination, namely:
- work toward an Aboriginal led justice response
- empower young people and community to uphold change
- protect cultural rights and increase cultural safety in the current justice system
- address intergenerational trauma and support healing
- reduce over representation and provide alternatives to custody.
Significant work has been done by Caucus to identify their vision and aspirations for self-determination in the youth justice system which has informed their contribution to the development of the new Youth Justice Act.
Next Steps
The next phase of the strategy’s development involves a data insights and analysis project with the Aboriginal Justice Caucus and other key informants to explore Aboriginal young people’s pattern of contact with and experience of the Youth Justice system, analyse the geographical variation in contact throughout Victoria, identify key risk points and opportunities for maximum impact, and develop a high level outcomes framework for the strategy. This is expected to be completed by December 2020.
The Aboriginal Youth Justice Strategy will be informed by, and will respond to, the Koori Youth Justice Taskforce led by the Commissioner for Aboriginal Children and Young People in partnership with Youth Justice.