Review of Gatekeeping Role in Young Offenders Act


APPENDIX E

Promotional Plan for the Act developed by a sub-committee of YJAC

ISSUES AND PROPOSED ACTIONS / TIMETABLE

ACTION	RESPONSIBILITY	TIMETABLE
1. Ministerial/Commissioner’s proactive support for the Act; - agencies to collect good news stories to pass onto Ministerial media officers (done); - AGs to pass on positive YLO info to AGs media person (done).	Relevant Ministers/ Police Commissioner	- Done - Done
2. Proactive targeting of police decisions where Act not used; · CAs to pass on local media articles to AGs (ongoing)	AGs	· 7 letters sent to Police Minister querying application of Act.
3. Developing a cohesive youth law and order policy (that is, resolving inconsistencies between Children (Protection and Parental Responsibility) Act, Police and Public Safety Act, targeting of repeat offenders, zero tolerance and YOA); · Police Service to provide details of police policies re: truancy, in your face policing to AGs; · AGs and JCPAC rep to do pros and cons of law and order policies re: youth (look at BOCSAR report re: effects);	AGs/Police/DJJ	· No progress
4. Resolving inconsistencies with performance assessments of Local Area Commanders; · Police Service to advise.	Police	· Detailed questions about YOA included in OCRs. First OCR with questions conducted 18 August.

5. Promotion of the Act among general duties police/custody managers, juvenile justice staff and detention staff, newly appointed Children’s Court magistrates, Children’s Court Registrars;   · AGs to write to Judicial Commission re: training; · DJJ to send info sheet to JJOs; · amend YOA to allow Children’s Court Registrars to make decisions under Act.	AGs/Police/DJJ	· Two articles in PSW run; one program aired over two weeks on Police TV; YJCD looking to develop protocols with Cluster Offices (where required). · to be done · to be done · 1 July 2000
6. Providing information to ALSs, Regional AJACs, individual communities and ACLOs;	AGs/AJAC/Police	· Information package for ALSs being developed; CAs given Regional AJAC contact details; AJAC and YJCD discussing more presentations to regional communities.
7. Dealing with “myths” concerning Aboriginal young people (eg that they always plead not guilty, have longer records and therefore do not fit criteria);   · DJJ to provide stats to assist AJAC; · ongoing liaison with ALSs.	AJAC	· Recent good news stories from area where Aboriginal convenors have facilitated conferences resulting in positive messages being sent through community. · to be done · monthly stats being sent to ALSs. AGs to develop info kit for ALSs.

8. appropriate information for Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal young people (videos, TV eg Imparja, educational kits for schools, magazines (eg Streetwize Comics) stories on major youth programs eg Home and Away, Breakers, Heartbreak High), wallet card;   · DJJ to develop info sheets in translations ; · Police Service to speak to police media unit re: getting YOA stories mentioned in major programs; · AGs to find out how Streetwise project progressing; · Police Service to look at Z card for police and flow chart;   · Get a copy of Police/School Ed crime prevention workshop material on YOA; · AGs to talk to Corporate Communications re: putting YOA info on website/kidsnet (anonymous and secure case info from police, DPP adjudications, CAs to provide guidance to decision makers); · DJJ Minister’s media person to provide info on communication with young people and pass on to subgroup.

AGs/Police/DJJ/ AJAC

· AYF rejected funding application from AJAC for video. AJAC to approach with an alternative proposal. Also suggested Casino fund, Law Society.   · Done. · Discussions held with Police Service media unit-no firm progress.   · Flow chart distributed to sub-group-provide feedback before considering layout. Work commenced on z card. · Crime prevention workshops not completed yet.   · YOA on DJJ website-linked to NCYLC website. Discussions to be held between Police/AGs/DJJ · To be done.

9. Promoting cautions as a viable alternative; · promoting best practice models eg South Coast ALS.	AGs/Police/DJJ/ AJAC	· PSW article and Police TV promoted the use of cautions. Also stressed at ACLO conference.
10. Promoting the use of “respected persons”; · Police/EAC to meet to discuss implementation of “respected persons” provisions.	Police/AJAC	· YJCD and Police Service to meet EAC rep re: research proposal.
11. Promoting the cost savings aspect of the Act (eg cost savings to courts; savings to police in terms of productivity, diversion of resources aimed at repeat offenders to Youth Justice Conferencing Directorate); · document impact of YOA on courts/police resources.	AGs/Police	· No progress.
12. Promoting the Act to Local Councils (NB Local Government elections in early September).	AGs	· Contact with LGSA made. Recommended that an article be done for next LGSA newsletter post council elections. Article being drafted.
13. 12 month Review of Act - hold information session on results of the review - Ministerial media persons to discuss strategy to handle review		· To be finalised early October. · To be done · To be done