The Andrews Labor Government is investing $23.9 million in the Children’s Court to implement key youth justice reforms to crack down on youth crime and keep the community safe.
The funding will help to deliver the Labor Government’s Youth Control Orders introduced as part of the Children and Justice Legislation (Youth Justice Reform) Act 2017, and the Intensive Monitoring and Control Bail Supervision Scheme.
The funding will allow the Children’s Court to hire additional staff including new magistrates, registry officers and court employed convenors to support the state-wide delivery of the reforms.
The building will be upgraded to facilitate the reforms and the court’s IT case management system will be updated to incorporate the new orders, including the Youth Control Orders and the Intensive Monitoring and Control Bail Supervision Scheme.
The Intensive Monitoring and Control Bail Supervision Scheme requires young offenders on bail to report more regularly to court, youth justice officers and police. The court can also require young offenders to comply with orders to attend work, training, school or education programs.
The Labor Government also created new Youth Control Orders to require young offenders to engage in education, work or training and may include curfews and anti-association conditions.
A young person sentenced to a Youth Control Order can be subject to intensive supervision and monitoring by the court for up to a year to ensure they comply with the conditions of their order.
Quotes attributable to Attorney-General Martin Pakula
“We are providing the Children’s Court with the resources it needs to ensure that young offenders are subject to intensive supervision and held to account for their actions.”
“Intensive monitoring of young offenders will make sure they comply with their orders and have more opportunities to re-engage with education, training or the workforce.”
Quotes attributable to Acting Minister for Youth Affairs Jill Hennessy
“The Youth Control Orders were part of Victoria’s largest ever suite of legislative measures we introduced earlier this year to hold offenders to account and reduce recidivism.”
“We are rebuilding the entire youth justice system to keep the community safe.”
Reviewed 19 August 2020