Youth Attendance Orders: A Contribution to Preventing Juvenile Crime (From Preventing Juvenile Crime Conference Proceedings No. 9, 1991, P 151-158, Julia Vernon, Sandra McKillop, eds. -- See NCJ-135877)

• NCJ Number: 135893
• Author(s): A Commadeur; M Bayliss
• Date Published: 1991
• Length: 8 pages
• Sale Source: Australian Institute of Criminology
• Publication Type: Program Description (Demonstrative)
• Language: English
• Country: Australia

Annotation

The development and implementation of Youth Attendance projects in Victoria is presented as a community-based alternative to institutionalization.

Abstract

The Youth Attendance Orders (YAO) was initiated on June 22, 1988 by the Minister for Community Services of Victoria in accordance with the Penalties and Sentence Act of 1985. It is available to young offenders between ages 15 and 17 appearing before the Children's Court with the following prerequisites: consent of youth; availability of place; and a suitability assessment. The program aims to prevent a youth from further offending through participation in unpaid community work and in personal development activities. Examples of the former include gardening, painting, woodwork, and assisting with jobs, whereas the examples of the latter include health access programs, gymnasium, literacy, and numeracy classes. Statistical data are provided of the implementation of the Order from August 1988 to June 1989 to include monthly information, assessment and placement, length of sentences by gender, age, success rate, region, and category offence. The main benefit of the program is that it allows the young offenders to remain in the community with both family and friends. 8 tables