Pan American Development Foundation’s Post

This Alliance for Youth Justice briefing/manifesto is excellent, and should set the agenda for how the new government considers youth justice issues

This Important briefing by Alliance for Youth Justice (AYJ) sets the #youthjustice agenda for the new govt: - to safeguard & support, - end racial injustice - ensure custody is a last resort Change is needed across the whole criminal justice system to support children, including creating a distinct criminal records system for childhood offences. We especially welcome the call to seal childhood criminal records - this would make an enormous difference to the futures of children caught up in the criminal justice system.

CN member Prison Advice and Care Trust (Pact): "We received a heart-warming message from a social worker at HMP Styal, highlighting the immense value of our 'Coffee and Crafts' mornings in the lives of the women there, like Louise*. Like many others, Louise doesn't receive visits and often feels the weight of isolation. But we're striving to change that narrative through the New Beginnings project at HMP Styal, funded by the Cheshire Community Foundation. Our 'Coffee and Crafts' sessions provide a safe haven where isolated women can come together and share stories, laughter, and creativity. These sessions aren't just about making pretty things – they're about forging connections and nurturing emotional wellbeing. The feedback has been overwhelmingly positive. Women are forming friendships, supporting each other, and rediscovering hope. Let's continue to break down walls and promote hope and healing." *Name has been changed to protect anonymity. www.prisonadvice.org.uk

Anne Hollonds, National Children’s Commissioner, addressed the National Press Club of Australia today on the urgent need to transform Australia’s child justice system in her speech titled "Help Way Earlier!: How Australia Can Transform Child Justice and Improve Safety and Wellbeing." She highlighted the critical need to intervene earlier, advocating for trauma-informed solutions to protect children and promote their wellbeing. When countries like the US, often critiqued for their justice approach, are making more strides in protecting young people, it's clear that our youth justice system needs urgent reform. It’s time to prioritise prevention and support over punishment. #RaiseTheAge #YouthJusticeReform #ProtectOurChildren #KidsXpress

With the recent change in government, we have taken the opportunity to communicate our priorities for the youth justice system to the Labour party. Our board, under the leadership of Chair Jacqui Belfield-Smith MBE submitted our proposals aimed at a continued development of the YJS. We provided The Labour Party  with our ‘where we stand’ statements to clarify our approach to supporting young people in the justice system. We highlighted, what we believe to be the most critical issues that we would like Labour to focus on over the next four years: - Diversity and Disproportionality - prevention of offending - Diversion from the Justice System and Out-of-Court Disposals  - Children in police detention  - Child-Centred Youth Justice  - Participation and the Voice of the Child  - Governance of the Youth Justice System  - The Age of Criminal Responsibility And we also highlighted our issues of immediate concern: - Impact of Short-term funding arrangements for Youth Justice  - Focus on Education and SEND  - Serious Youth Violence reduction  - Criminal Exploitation, Modern Day Slavery & National Referral Mechanism decision- making  - The offer to victims  - Transition arrangements post-18.  - Safeguarding in the secure estate for children. #YJS #FutureForChange #Labour #NewGovernment #YouthJustice #FutureofJustice

The much anticipated Victoria Government Women’s Safety Package has been released today. The new package of reforms aims to change laws, change culture, deliver new support for victim survivors and importantly drive action at every stage: 🔸better responding to victims when violence occurs 🔸delivering a stronger justice response that holds offenders to account, and 🔸continuing Victoria’s world-leading prevention response – stopping violence before it starts. There’s a strong emphasis on younger people - and rightly so. How can we change our future if the future isn’t included? This includes several education initiatives targeting schools and a new Respect Victoria campaign promoting healthy attitudes among boys and young men. Is it enough? No. But it’s a good start. You can read more about the package here: https://lnkd.in/gT7mXi_3

Community service is a transformative tool for reducing recidivism, particularly in the context of Australian criminal justice systems. Integrating community service into the criminal justice system is based on restorative justice principles and the economic principle of incentivizing positive behaviour. Engaging individuals in community service fosters a sense of belonging and purpose, essential elements in personal rehabilitation. Traditionally, community service has been viewed as a form of punishment, but a more nuanced perspective reveals it as an opportunity for offenders to contribute positively to society, fostering a sense of responsibility and accountability. In Australia, initiatives like the Community Service Order (CSO) program in New South Wales and Victoria's Community Correctional Services have shown positive results in reducing reoffending rates. Community service also provides an opportunity for offenders to develop empathy and understand the impact of their actions, bridging the gap between offenders and the community. Economically, community service presents a cost-effective alternative to incarceration, offering greater returns in terms of reducing reoffending and fostering social cohesion. Community service emerges as an effective tool for reducing recidivism by providing a structured environment for offenders to contribute positively to society. The Australian experience serves as a testament to the potential of community service to transform lives and enhance public safety. The biggest opposition to these programs has not been victim advocate groups, but the NGOs and organisations that rely on the proliferation of crime and pain in our communities for profit. Crime and criminal behaviour feed industries that often lobby against policies and programs that actually work. #crime #security #accountability #incarceration #debttosociety #paythedebt #communityservice #rehabilitation #creatingcontrition

One of the areas of ASB picked up by Katy Anderson in her article this week was county lines activity and its impact on vulnerable communities… This is really timely as the new County Lines Policing Strategy has been announced For 2024-2027, so what does it mean for those working in our sector? Overall the new policy aims to continue the efforts from the 2019 strategy, combatting drug trafficking networks by focusing on these key areas: 👮 Increased Collaboration: The plan is for ASB professionals to work more closely with police and agencies for effective intelligence sharing and coordinated actions. 🫂 Focused Prevention: Identifying and supporting vulnerable individuals at risk of exploitation by county lines gangs. 🏫 Enhanced Training: Providing ASB professionals with the skills to recognize and respond to county lines activities. 💚 Community Engagement: Initiatives to raise awareness and prevent gang recruitment. You can read the full strategy document via the link in the comments. What is your organisation doing to tackle county lines activity?

Best Practices for PSEA at the Community Level 🔒  Protection from Sexual Exploitation and Abuse is another way of implementing safety and respect for individuals within society. Here are key essentials to keep in mind: Awareness & Training: Conduct awareness and capacity-building training for every member for the community and the leaders as well to help them avoid, identify, and report cases of S/E and A. Clear Policies: Introducing and implementing a strict policy regime that defines prohibited behaviors likely exhibited by people in the organizations as well as the sanctions inflicted on offenders. Reporting Mechanisms: Blow the Whistle Policy which provides a list of reporting options for victims and witnesses who want to report a case but do not want to be discriminated against. Support Systems: Ensuring that individuals/exploiters involved in the act are apprehended and that survivors undergo counseling and legal aid. Community Engagement: Stimulation of acceptance of free speech, public participation, and making everyone take responsibility for society. Together for more secure and tolerant towns and cities. Finally, let us support PASEA and stand for the prevention of abuse, as well as the promotion and restoration of the human dignity of every person. 🌍💪

Despite global commitments to eradicate Violence Against Children (VAC), including initiatives aligned with the UN Sustainable Development Goals and EU Strategy on the Rights of the Child, violence persists across various settings for children. Particularly concerning is the situation for children deprived of liberty, who are inherently vulnerable and often subjected to violence, whether from peers or adults. Addressing this issue requires urgent action from states to improve data collection and analysis in the children detention facilities, as current efforts in this regard are insufficient. From May 21-23, I had the privilege joining Cédric Foussard and Mariana Pérez Cruz as well as great colleagues in a conversation about the DataMosaic project, which aims to monitor violence against children in criminal justice detention across Europe. This initiative, part of the broader Justice with Children Initiative is a great step towards mitigating the situations within detention. We also discussed further ways of including children in the process and giving their views due weight. Idil Aydinoglu, Jérôme Mangelinckx - Marie Charlotte Bisson thanks for your efforts! Rodrigo Hormazábal Lama - was great to get to know you and looking forward to you coming to Vienna! It was great to present on the interconnectedness of this project with the United Nations Global Study on Children Deprived of Liberty and the ongoing efforts at the Global Campus of Human Rights in a panel discussion. Thanks to Imma Guerras, Yannick van den Brink, Hannah Smithson, Dayan Faria Picon and Dr Nessa Lynch for this session. Our project at the Global Campus, “Promising or Not,” led by Łukasz Szoszkiewicz, seeks to establish criteria for identifying promising, good, and best practices in preventing and ending the deprivation of liberty for children. This collaborative effort involves colleagues and former alumni students mapping practices across different world regions using these criteria. Thanks to Carolina Canettieri, Zuzanna Kowalska, Omer Al-Shareqi, Dr. Eduardo Kapapelo and Sara Benitez Mongelos. A highlight of the time in Madrid was participating in a workshop by Angela Vigil. This immersive experience, created with the help of children and youth, offers a profound glimpse into the lives of children caught in the system. It was my second time attending, and it provided an insight into the struggles children face worldwide as they strive for dignity and integration. Many thanks to Baker McKenzie and its very kind team in Madrid! Looking ahead, the next World Congress on Children’s Access to Justice will be held in June 2025 in Madrid. We anticipate collaborating with key stakeholders to continue our work in implementing and discussing the best ways to continue the challenging work of implementing the UN Global Study on Children Deprived of Liberty and its recommendations. Wishing everyone a pleasant and restful weekend! Happy Friday!