Campaigns 4 Change

Please show your support for our campaigns. 

Justice Reinvestment for Aboriginal Young People Campaign

In New South Wales, Aboriginal young people make up just 2.2% of the general population, but over half of the detention population. Aboriginal young people are also 28 times more likely to be placed in juvenile detention than non-Indigenous young people. The NSW Audit Office reported that the 2011 average daily cost of supervising and caring for juvenile offenders in detention was $652 per person per day or $237,980 annually. The current New South Wales Government was elected with a justice policy, which contains principles of justice reinvestment.

The Campaign for Justice Reinvestment is aiming to influence the NSW Government to shift spending away from corrections and detention and towards programs that identify and support young Aboriginal people in need. The campaign brings together a coalition of like-minded people and organisations that support justice reinvestment, including the ALS. To show your support for this campaign, please visit www.justicereinvestmentnow.net.au.

 

Reforming the NSW Bail Act

Today, a quarter of our state's prisoners have not yet been convicted of an offence. Suspected offenders are waiting up to one month to have their case heard, and suspected offenders have just one attempt at securing bail. Changes to the NSW Bail Act in 2007 have resulted in a huge jump in juvenile detention figures and a huge jump in the number of Aboriginal kids on remand - which means they are imprisoned but haven’t been before the court. 

We are asking the NSW State Government to conduct a review or independent inquiry about what changes should be made to the Bail Act. The current NSW Bail Act means jail for more of our juveniles.

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Evaluation of the recommendations of the Royal Commission into Black Deaths in Custody

It’s been 20 years since the Royal Commission into Aboriginal Deaths in Custody. ALS is conducting a national survey on the implementation of the 339 recommendations contained in the report. We are examining what measures were taken in response to the recommendations in each State and Territory. We are also looking at what hasn't been done. Once completed, survey results will be publicly available and posted on the ALS website.

It is expected the research will serve to improve the welfare of Australians in custody - both Aboriginal and non- Aboriginal – and increase the likelihood of rehabilitation and, ultimately, contribute to safer communities. Ideas and suggestions for the management and delivery of the survey are welcome.

IMAGE from the HREOC Indigenous deaths in custody 1989 - 1996 report 

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Operation Youth MERIT  

The ALS is campaigning for a MERIT program to be available through the Children's Court for young Aboriginal offenders. The MERIT program offers rehabilitation for offenders with drug and alcohol problems. Research shows MERIT is effective in reducing reoffending. It is currently only available for adults   . Similar to the Youth Drug and Alcohol Court, a youth MERIT program would be a much-needed additional program addressing drug and alcohol problems prevalent in adolescent offenders.

We have been overwhelmed with support for Operation Youth MERIT from the Legal fraternity including NSW Bar Association, Law Council of Australia, NSW Law Society and Legal Aid NSW, including individual Barristers and Magistrates. Other key individuals across the medical profession have also given their support.

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Too many mentally ill in custody

ALS is concerned about the overrepresentation of mentally ill persons in custody and that this overrepresentation may have an effect on the rates of self harm by Aboriginal people in custody. The NSW criminal justice system, particularly in relation to indictable charges, is far too limited in relation to its options for persons suffering mental illness.

We're calling for the Justice Health court liaison service to be expanded to all NSW Local Courts and to widen its availability to include persons who are on bail and who face indictable charges. The second area of reform we're advocating is to extend the  application of section 32 of the Mental Health (Forensic Provisions) Act 1990 to indictable charges.

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Roll back the Intervention

This is a national campaign in partnership with the National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Legal Services Forum (National ATSILS) - all the Aboriginal Legal Services in Australia.

The National ATSILS Forum is campaigning to focus national attention on the negative aspects of the Intervention such as the further roll-out of income management, the imposition of 5-year leases on land and houses that were previously Aboriginal owned and managed, and the arbitrary restrictions on things like alcohol consumption that have forced drinkers to even more unsafe locations on the edges of major highways at the limits of exclusion zones.

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Children in Detention Advocacy Project

This is a national campaign in partnership with the National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Legal Services Forum (National ATSILS) - all the Aboriginal Legal Services in Australia.

The National ATSILS Forum is campaigning to focus national attention on the negative aspects of the Intervention such as the further roll-out of income management, the imposition of 5-year leases on land and houses that were previously Aboriginal owned and managed, and the arbitrary restrictions on things like alcohol consumption that have forced drinkers to even more unsafe locations on the edges of major highways at the limits of exclusion zones.

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Say NO to Family Violence

Freedom from violence and the threat of violence is the right of every person. Within some families, women and children may be vulnerable and can be exposed to violent behaviour. In certain cases, men may be vulnerable and subjected to violence.

Whether due to feelings of loyalty, shame or even fear, those who experience or witness family violence are often reluctant to take action against it. In many cases, victims of family violence have no means of escape or other options available to them.

The ALS condemns family violence and the silence that can surround it. Violence, and its threat, within the family, whatever the extent, can never be excused or justified. The ALS calls on all perpetrators to stop violence within the family and seek assistance. Equally, the ALS urges all who have been its victim to speak out and seek protection and support from their communities and relevant agencies.

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