Youth justice
Alternative labels
Juvenile justice
Youth at risk
Problem youth
Report
‘Left alone’: a review of solitary confinement and similar practices in Australia’s youth justice systems
A review of solitary confinement and similar practices in youth detention in Australia. The report finds these practices cause serious harm, breach international human rights standards and disproportionately affect First Nations children and children with disability. It makes 24 recommendations to prohibit solitary confinement, strengthen safeguards and ensure youth justice systems adopt trauma-informed, rights-based approaches.
Report
Deaths in custody in Australia 2024–25
The National Deaths in Custody Program has monitored the extent and nature of deaths occurring in prison, police custody and youth detention in Australia since 1980. This report contains detailed information on these deaths in 2024–25 and compares the findings with longer term trends. It finds there were 113 deaths in custody.
Systematic review
Communities that care: toolkit technical report
This report presents findings from a mixed methods systematic review of the Communities That Care (CTC) prevention system, which is designed to reduce youth problem behaviours by empowering local stakeholders to implement evidence-based interventions. It contains robust, policy-relevant insights into the conditions under which CTC is most effective.
Report
Evidence-based approaches to child justice
This report contains six case studies from Australia and around the world that are examples of evidence-based approaches to reforming child justice systems. It shows how primary prevention, early intervention, integrated services and therapeutic community-based approaches that emphasise family and cultural connections can transform outcomes for children.
Report
Review of the operation of doli incapax in NSW for children under 14
An independent review of the operation of doli incapax in New South Wales (NSW) for children under 14. Doli incapax operates as a common law presumption in NSW and presumes children aged between 10 and 13 are not able to be held criminally responsible for their actions. The report makes seven recommendations.