Report on Government Services 2015

Chapter 16, Volume F

Youth justice

The Youth justice services chapter (chapter 16) of the Report on Government Services reports on the performance of governments in providing youth justice services.

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Key Facts
Indicator Framework
Indicator Results

A total of 10 940 young people experienced youth justice supervision at some time during 2012-13. The majority of young offenders experienced community-based youth justice supervision - nationally, on an average day in 2012-13, 85.5 per cent of young people aged 10-17 years who were supervised by youth justice services were in the community.

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander young people were significantly overrepresented in youth justice detention. The daily average number of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander young people aged 10-17 years detained in youth justice detention centres was 454 in 2012-13.

Nationally, the daily average detention rate for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander young people aged 10-17 years in 2012-13 was 364.4 per 100 000 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people aged 10-17 years. The number and rate for non-Indigenous young people aged 10-17 years in 2012-13 was 329 and 15.4 per 100 000 young people respectively.

Total recurrent expenditure on youth justice services - comprising detention-based supervision, community-based supervision and group conferencing - was approximately $673 million across Australia in 2013-14. Detention-based supervision accounted for the majority of government expenditure (60.8 per cent, or $409 million).

Youth justice services aim to assist young people to address their offending behaviour and take responsibility for the effect their behaviour has on victims and the wider community, and to promote community safety.

In so doing, youth justice services aim to ensure that the interests and views of victims are heard and that services are delivered to rehabilitate young offenders and reintegrate them into their community.

The performance indicator framework provides information on equity, efficiency and effectiveness, and distinguishes the outputs and outcomes of youth justice services. The performance indicator framework shows which data are complete and comparable in the 2015 Report.

Indicator framework explained in the chapter

An overview of the Youth justice services performance indicator results are presented. Information to assist the interpretation of these data can be found in the indicator interpretation boxes in the Youth justice services chapter and attachment tables.

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Effectiveness — Diversion indicators

Group conferencing outcomes

Data for this indicator are not complete or not directly comparable (chapter 16)

Proportion of group conferences resulting in an agreement
	NSW	Vic	Qld	WA	SA	Tas	ACT	NT	Aust
%	99.0	100.0	95.4	92.3	85.9	89.3	95.9	100.0	92.9

Source: Attachment table 16A.13

Effectiveness — Rehabilitation indicators

Education and training attendance

Data for this indicator are comparable, subject to caveats (chapter 16)

Proportion of young people in detention of compulsory school age attending an education course
	NSW	Vic	Qld	WA	SA	Tas	ACT	NT	Aust
%	100.0	100.0	100.0	90.2	100.0	100.0	100.0	100.0	98.8

Source: Attachment table 16A.15

Effectiveness — Safe and secure environment indicators

Deaths in custody

Data for this indicator are comparable, subject to caveats (chapter 16)

Deaths in custody
	NSW	Vic	Qld	WA	SA	Tas	ACT	NT	Aust
No.	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–

Legend: – Nil or rounded to zero.
Source: Attachment table 16A.14

Escapes

Data for this indicator are comparable, subject to caveats (chapter 16)

Rate of escapes from detention per 10 000 custody nights
	NSW	Vic	Qld	WA	SA	Tas	ACT	NT	Aust
Rate	–	0.2	–	–	–	7.0	–	2.3	0.2

Legend: – Nil or rounded to zero.
Source: Attachment table 16A.16

Rate of escapes from escorted movement per 10 000 escorted movements
	NSW	Vic	Qld	WA	SA	Tas	ACT	NT	Aust
Rate	12.9	14.8	–	–	–	–	49.5	–	12.9

Legend: – Nil or rounded to zero.
Source: Attachment table 16A.16

Absconds from unescorted leave

Data for this indicator are not complete or not directly comparable (chapter 16)

Rate of absconds per 1000 periods of unescorted leave
	NSW	Vic	Qld	WA	SA	Tas	ACT	NT	Aust
Rate	–	–	..	..	–	–	–	–	–

Legend: .. Not applicable; – Nil or rounded to zero.
Source: Attachment table 16A.17

Assaults in custody

Data for this indicator are not complete or not directly comparable (chapter 16)

Rate of young people and staff injured as a result of a serious assault per 10 000 custody nights
	NSW	Vic	Qld	WA	SA	Tas	ACT	NT	Aust
Rate	–	1.1	0.3	na	0.5	–	1.7	–	–

Legend: na Not available; – Nil or rounded to zero.
Source: Attachment table 16A.18

Rate of young people and staff injured as a result of an assault per 10 000 custody nights
	NSW	Vic	Qld	WA	SA	Tas	ACT	NT	Aust
Rate	3.0	10.4	7.1	na	11.5	53.7	5.1	14.4	–

Legend: na Not available; – Nil or rounded to zero.
Source: Attachment table 16A.19

Self-harm and attempted suicide in custody

Data for this indicator are not complete or not directly comparable (chapter 16)

Rate of incidents of self-harm in custody requiring hospitalisation per 10 000 custody nights
	NSW	Vic	Qld	WA	SA	Tas	ACT	NT	Aust
Rate	0.9	0.4	0.5	na	–	–	–	1.2	–

Legend: na Not available; – Nil or rounded to zero.
Source: Attachment table 16A.20

Rate of incidents of self-harm in custody that did not require hospitalisation per 10 000 custody nights
	NSW	Vic	Qld	WA	SA	Tas	ACT	NT	Aust
Rate	2.4	0.8	1.5	na	3.8	–	6.8	10.4	–

Legend: na Not available; – Nil or rounded to zero.
Source: Attachment table 16A.20

Effectiveness — Statutory responsibilities indicators

Case plans prepared

Data for this indicator are not complete or not directly comparable (chapter 16)

Proportion of case plans prepared or reviewed within 6 weeks of commencing a sentenced detention order
	NSW	Vic	Qld	WA	SA	Tas	ACT	NT	Aust
%	100.0	96.5	84.7	100.0	na	100.0	100.0	88.2	96.9

Legend: na Not available
Source: Attachment table 16A.22

Proportion of case plans prepared or reviewed within 6 weeks of commencing a sentenced community-based order
	NSW	Vic	Qld	WA	SA	Tas	ACT	NT	Aust
%	96.9	97.1	88.1	na	na	56.5	93.0	11.6	90.1

Legend: na Not available
Source: Attachment table 16A.22

Completion of community-based orders

Data for this indicator are not complete or not directly comparable (chapter 16)

Proportion of community-based orders successfully completed
	NSW	Vic	Qld	WA	SA	Tas	ACT	NT	Aust
%	80.8	91.2	78.7	66.9	88.6	90.5	65.1	59.0	79.6

Source: Attachment table 16A.21

Efficiency indicators

Centre utilisation

Data for this indicator are comparable, subject to caveats (chapter 16)

Centre utilisation
	NSW	Vic	Qld	WA	SA	Tas	ACT	NT	Aust
%	72.9	68.2	98.0	81.8	59.5	39.1	40.2	74.2	74.3

Source: Attachment table 16A.25