Youth Justice System

Questions without notice – My question is to the Minister for Crime Prevention, Minister for Corrections, Minister for Youth Justice and Minister for Victim Support. Minister, there have been further disruptions and violence within our youth justice centres in recent weeks. You, nevertheless, maintain that a change of approach and a reduction in the number of prison beds for youth offenders will promote better outcomes than building more prisons. It is widely acknowledged that intervention in early childhood is the most effective way to change the trajectory of people’s lives. Minister, what investment will you make in early childhood services to ensure that children and young people do not end up in the youth justice system?

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Supplementary Question – Minister, unfortunately we have young people from the Shepparton community who end up in the youth justice system, and as a community we would really like to turn that around. So, Minister, will you visit the Shepparton district to meet with the people who work in this region, the people who are working in the Neighbourhood Schools project, with the Greater Shepparton Lighthouse project and with the Bridge Youth Service—all organisations that are working to try and get that trajectory right and keep our young people in our community out of the youth justice system?

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