A program giving young people a second chance has helped inspire more research into employing those at risk of reoffending.
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Mark Little was one of 12 people who had begun year-long Jobs Victoria international fellowships to help uncover best practice programs around the world.
“Jobs Victoria are always talking about the people who fall through the cracks. Mainstream services do wonderful work but there are always people around the periphery who miss out,” he said.
Mr Little’s fellowship would focus on ways to use employment as an alternative to custodial sentences for minor crimes.
“This is by no way creating anything that would excuse an individual’s behavior. If someone has committed a crime the courts have to deal with them as they see fit,” he said.
Mr Little hoped research could enhance programs like CVGT’s Second chance program, which tackled youth crime and repeat offending.
“Some people, often youth, get involved in the criminal justice system sometimes through the lack of something to do. They can make poor decisions and get into trouble,” Mr Little said.
When magistrates were willing to stand the matter down, the Second Chance program could help people find work, avoid becoming entrenched in the justice system and save court resources.
“When someone is coming through the system for minor crimes for the first time, magistrates don’t want to see them again. So they can refer them to us,” he said.
More the program: A second chance at work for young offenders
During his fellowship, Mr Little will spend six weeks visiting innovative programs around the world.
He was currently planning to visit the United States to learn more about a wide range of programs including one where teen offenders were judged by peers and overseen by a justice official.
Mr Little would then travel to the United Kingdom and Singapore to meet with experts and see other programs in action.
“It’s looking at a whole range of programs and seeing which ideas or facets could be used to create something new,” Mr Little said.
“Then we will feed it back to the government to look at further options and opportunities to fund options for disadvantaged groups.”