A MAJOR expansion of facilities at a youth justice facility in central Victoria has officially opened.
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Minister for Families and Children Jenny Mikakos cut the ribbon on the new 45-bed facility at the Malmsbury Youth Justice Precinct on Wednesday.
The $46-million complex - next to the current facility - includes three new residential wings, educational and recreational space, a new visitor room and administration offices.
It will provide additional capacity and training facilities for young offenders, while offering increased capacity and better security.
Plans for the expansion were announced by the previous Coalition government in 2012 to ease overcrowding.
The precinct rehabilitates young clients aged 18-21 and reintegrates them into the community and employment through education programs, including TAFE courses, and health and life skills programs like drug and alcohol treatment courses and parenting programs.
Ms Mikakos said the increase in beds would mean clients could be accommodated in an environment best suited to their needs, achieving the best outcome for the community.
“Preventing vulnerable youth from entering adult prisons, and giving them a practical education, will reduce the likelihood that kids will reoffend," she said.
Malmsbury Fire Brigade played a leading role in the design stage and preparing the building to cope with emergency incidents.
The first clients are expected to move into the facility in the coming weeks.
Meanwhile, the government has announced $1.2 million over four years for programs to divert young indigenous people from entering the youth justice system.
While young Aboriginal people constitute only one per cent of teenagers in Victoria aged 10-17,they make up 13 per cent of people under youth justice supervision.
Commissioner for Aboriginal Children and Young People Andrew Jackomos said indigenous people were over-represented in the youth justice system.
"We need to address the underlying causes of this and divert them away from entering the system in the first place," he said.