Indigenous-led youth diversion programs being overlooked in Queensland: Amnesty International - AM - Annie Guest -
While Queensland has the country's highest incarceration rate of Aboriginal youth, Indigenous led programs could be the solution being overlooked, Amnesty International says.
A new damning report into the state's youth justice system, released this week, found only two of 16 diversionary programs were led by Indigenous people.
Amnesty International's Claire Mallinson said prevention and diversionary programs showed success rates of up to 100 per cent at keeping young Indigenous people from returning to detention.
She said the most successful programs were led by Aboriginal people.
"All the evidence both internationally and here in Australia shows that Indigenous-led solutions are far more effective," Ms Mallinson said.
According to the Amnesty International report, 65 per cent of incarcerated Queensland children are Aboriginal, yet only two of 16 organisations working in the Queensland youth justice system are Indigenous-led.
Queensland also had the country's highest proportion of 10 and 11-year-old children being locked up, which Amnesty International said was a breach of international law.
Queensland is also the only state to lock up 17 year olds in adult prisons.
Healing is a key component of moving forward, says Randal Ross from the Red Dust Healing program.
"Many of our people are suffering from the transgenerational hurts that have been passed through the generations and that's why it's important that we have to go back to healing, healing our peoples," he said.
"You know they've never asked to be abandoned, they've never asked to grow up without a father, they've never asked to grow up in that abusive environment."
Mr Ross said Indigenous-led programs were more effective than others.
He said at the Cleveland Youth Detention Centre, out of 40 young people, 32 have never returned over a two-year period. The other eight reoffended with minor offences.
Mr Ross said ordinarily the return rate was almost 100 per cent.
He said the entire program cost less than half of the $1,400 per day spent to keep someone locked up, yet the Townsville-based program gets more support in every other state and territory than it does in Cleveland.
"Every time we go back to Cleveland to ask to continue to run the program they're saying that it's too much money," he said.
Programs 'filling the gaps' in culture teachings
Ambrose House, 24, credited a diversionary program led by Indigenous people in the ACT as changing his life.
"I sort of grew up in a broken home and I didn't know my dad. There was a lot of drugs and alcohol. I grew up with my nan most of my life. I lost my big brother when I was in about Year 8," he said.
"And I suppose I was very angry. But doing the Red Dust Healing made me choose a better path.
"You know before colonisation our people would have had culture and Red Dust Healing has filled a lot of the gaps. They give you different tools to deal with situations and choose the right option."
In a statement, Queensland Attorney-General Yvette D'ath said there was a high representation of Indigenous staff in youth justice services, delivering cultural programs and engaging with elders.
She said there were ongoing efforts to ensure Indigenous organisations were well placed to apply for funding.