cartoon of young people in juvenile justice system

Working with young people involved with the juvenile justice system

Strategies

Address risk factors
It is important to be aware of the risk factors outlined above, because they provide guidance as to how to successfully prevent and reduce offending behaviour.

Examples of successful strategies which address risk factors are those that

target education and employment programs to those most disadvantaged

  • enhance parent coping skills
  • reduce social isolation and provide social support to parents and adolescents
  • provide secure long term housing
  • increase economic well-being of families.

Manage challenging behaviours
It can be extremely beneficial to understand the causes of challenging behaviours which may be exhibited at your service, and ensure training for your staff and volunteers in managing challenging behaviour.

The Department of Juvenile Justice, in their policy for the management of difficult behaviour, explain that young people display challenging behaviours due to a number of causes including:

  • psychological causes relating to a young person's feelings of anxiety, depression, fear, insecurity, or interpersonal conflict
  • biological causes related to substance withdrawal, seizure, physical illness or injury
  • behavioural causes which relate to the antecedents for the behaviour and consequences of the behaviour. For example, violent adolescents who have learned that by being violent, people "back down" and give in to their wants
  • environmental causes which result from the young person's interaction with the environment. For example, stimuli such as loud noises, high temperatures, overcrowding, control over routine and lifestyle and the physical structure of the environment, lack of stimulation and purposeful activity, inflexible authority, denial of personal identity, lack of privacy, or punitive treatment
  • educational causes which may include a lack of skills development. For example, lack of problem solving skills, lack of social skills or inappropriate skills
  • social causes which may flow from being in a disadvantaged group and, in the case of Indigenous people, historically disadvantaged and socially isolated. This may result in a low self-esteem and self-image. In the case of adolescent males, a fear of exposing this low self-esteem may be camouflaged with a perceived high level of competence which can result in aggressive outbursts if challenged
  • other social causes such as those associated with childhood rejection, abuse, sexual abuse or neglect
  • biological and developmental changes which in many situations are normal for this age group. 10
Practical tips for managing challenging behaviour:

  • Take active steps to develop a friendly and welcoming atmosphere at your service. Simple steps such as remembering the name of a young person and greeting them by name can show that you value them.

  • Take time to build (professional) relationships with young people. Be prepared to offer long term support with a consistent worker, rather than a range of workers.

  • Treat young people with respect and as individuals.

  • Understand cultural differences, for example body language.

  • Give praise, recognition and reinforcement of acceptable behaviour.

  • Consider the physical layout of your service and the activities you provide. For example, does your building and the activities you provide encourage young people to undertake purposeful activities or do they set up young people to be competitive with each other?

  • If you run a number of programs, don't mix too many young people who have challenging behaviour, or who are young offenders, in the same group.

  • Have clear rules / policies at your service which have been developed with young people.

  • Ensure that all staff and volunteers are aware of your service policies and apply them fairly and consistently.

  • Ensure that young people are aware of the rules of your service and consequences for inappropriate behaviour.

  • Implement consequences for inappropriate behaviour in a fair and consistent manner.

  • Provide gender specific programs.

  • Address issues such as education and stable accommodation, in addition to your regular activities.

If a young person exhibits challenging behaviour:

  • model the type of behaviour that you expect from the young person
  • speak in a calm voice, do not shout
  • listen to the views of the young person and try to understand why they are upset, use reflective language
  • don't touch someone who is angry and upset
  • try to remove the situation from bystanders
  • if a young person refuses to follow an instruction, offer them a choice. For example "you can either let Tony have his turn or leave the centre and come back tomorrow - it's up to you". This allows the young person to save face, particularly if there are other young people present.

More information about behaviour management is available at www.yapa.org.au/youthwork/banning.htm .

Working with a young offender on an Outcome Plan or CSO
Young people who have an Outcome Plan or Community Service Order (CSO) are required to initiate contact with the service they have to attend.

This can be particularly difficult for young people who generally don't have the skills, motivation or resources to make contact. These young people generally have to deal with such issues as: there being only one phone in the family, (this may be a mobile owned by parents and may not have credit available), limited money, and lack of access to transport.

As services aren't required to ensure that a young person on a CSO or Outcome Plan attends their appointments, the young person can get breached for not making contact. This occurs even when a family member or support worker has tried to make contact on behalf of the young person.

Once contact has been made your service can assist by calling the young person two to three times before their appointment as a reminder.

These young people may not have a supportive family to assist them meet the requirements of the Outcome Plan or CSO.

By providing practical support you can assist the young person to complete their Outcome Plan or community service order. You can then focus on initiatives which address the risk factors and reduce offending behaviour.

Create relationships with Juvenile Justice Officers who are supervising young people in the community.

Continue to support young people once their community service order or Outcome Plans has been completed by engaging them in other activities such as sporting or recreational programs or establishing regular meetings.

Provide support with referrals
Attending appointments, or going to a service for the first time, can be particularly difficult for young people who have been involved with the juvenile justice system. They may experience fear of being judged or feel unable to express themselves. Often young people do not make it to a referral. Practical support through setting appointments, transport to the appointment, and attendance with the young person at the appointment can assist the young person to meet their commitments and gain support.

Working with young people who have been released from detention
The period immediately after release is a time where young people are particularly at risk. They face difficulties in accessing education, employment and training, finding accommodation, maintaining links with family and friends, and dealing with drug and alcohol problems, mental health problems and abuse. They can also face discrimination in the community, and the stigma of their detention, and can be the target of policing. If accommodation, family or other personal supports are not available young people may return to crime or drug taking.

So, when young people are first released from detention, they need to enter a support system that has a coordinated, collaborative approach.

Establishing networks and professional relationships encourages the sharing of information and resources. Consider working with other government and non-government services, the sporting community, the church community, and educational institutions.

Create relationships with the juvenile justice centres to establish programs that allow for a smoother transition of young people from the detention centre to the community. Having a contact person within the detention centre, who then provides support whilst exiting, will greatly assist the young person with reintegration into the community.

Local crime prevention programs
Most local councils have a Crime Prevention Plan which has been developed in partnership with the Police Local Area Command and significant stakeholders.

Contact your local Police Youth Liaison Officer or Community Safety Officer to find out how you can get involved in local crime prevention and community safety committees.