Working Together Changing the Story: Youth Justice Strategy 2019-23
May 3, 2019
This week the Queensland Government has announced their investment to support the implementation of the Youth Justice Strategy Working Together Changing the Story, and key elements of the Government responses to Bob Atkinson’s Report on Youth Justice and Major-General Stuart Smith’s report Townsville’s voice: local solutions to address youth crime.
The strategy includes:
- The construction of a new 32 bed youth detention centre at Wacol, at an estimated total cost of approximately $150 million;
- $27 million to build 16 more beds at the existing Brisbane Youth Detention Centre.
- Community youth responses to crime hotspots in three locations – Brisbane, Ipswich and Cairns;
- Enhanced youth and family wellbeing in partnership with Indigenous Family Wellbeing Services;
- A transitional hub to divert young people from police custody in Mount Isa;
- Community-based supervision by Queensland Police for high risk young people on bail in South East Queensland;
- Eight specialist multi-agency response teams;
- Extension of funding for an additional Specialist Children’s Court Magistrate;
- A Queensland Youth Partnership Initiative with the retail sector to divert young people from crime; and
- Continue the Townsville Community Response including the High-Risk Youth Court, After Hours Youth Diversion Services and Cultural Mentoring
Find out more about Working Together Changing the Story: Youth Justice Strategy 2019-23