YAC appear at Youth Justice Reform Committee Hearing

Last week Youth Advocacy Centre CEO, Katherine Hayes, appeared before the Youth Justice Reform Select Committee in Queensland, alongside representatives from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Legal Service (QLD) Ltd
 
The hearings have been an opportunity for sector experts to provide to the Committee their insights as to what youth justice reform should look like.
 
There were positive signs throughout the hearing, with a consistent message that reform should address the root causes and not focus on punitive measures. Many witnesses emphasised that community safety and the safety of at-risk children go hand-in-hand and must be pursued in tandem.
 
However, there is a risk that these positive steps could falter under the intense political pressure in Queensland to adopt a ‘tough on crime’ approach. There were also some suggestions that removal of detention as a last resort may be considered, which YAC strongly opposes
 
YAC Solicitor Damian Bartholomew also appeared at the hearing in his role with Queensland Law Society. You can view the hearings here: https://tv.parliament.qld.gov.au/TV/SearchCommittee/59