C27 Property Crime Reduction

The ACT Property Crime Reduction Strategy 2012-15 Canberra: A Safer Place to Live is a comprehensive and collaborative response to reducing property crime in the ACT. It builds on the success of the previous ACT Property Crime Reduction Strategy 2004-2007 and a range of activities across government in the intervening years. The three objectives of the strategy are:

1. stopping the cycle of offending – justice reinvestment
2. engaging the disengaged – the role of early intervention
3. creating a safer, more secure community – supporting victims of crime, making buildings and public places safer and ensuring cars are secure.

The Directorate reports annually to the Justice and Community Safety Directorate against the actions of the three objectives in the Strategy. This information is included in a whole of government Annual Report on the Strategy.

Objective 1 – stopping the cycle of offending – justice reinvestment

Action 1.9 Establish and implement the priorities outlined in the Blueprint for Youth Justice in the ACT

Target - Through the Youth Justice Taskforce group implement the priorities outlined in the Blueprint for Youth Justice in the ACT

The Directorate participates in the Youth Justice Blueprint Implementation Group which is a high level, cross government and community group that oversees the implementation of priorities from the Blueprint including educational, training and transition priorities relating to Bimberi Youth Justice Centre.

Action 1.10 Enhance the Bimberi Youth Justice Centre educational and training programs

Target - Form a high level, cross government, strategic reference group to oversee the development and provision of effective educational and training programs at Bimberi and their successful transition of young people back into schooling and training options in the community

The Directorate participates in the Youth Justice Blueprint Implementation Group which is a high level, cross government and community group that oversees the implementation of priorities from the Blueprint including educational, training and transition priorities relating to Bimberi Youth Justice Centre.

Objective 2 – engaging the disengaged - the role of early intervention

Action 2.5 Work towards the ACT Youth Commitment goals

Target - Increase the number of students in Alternative Programs accessing VET qualifications

Alternative Education Programs allow young people to access vocational training and to achieve nationally accredited vocational qualifications. In 2011, 187 Vocational Certificates were completed or partially completed through Alternative Education Programs. In 2012 this number increased to 209.

Action 2.6 Increase school participation and attainment rates

Target - Increase the proportion of 20-24 year olds with a year 12 or equivalent vocational qualification to 94.3 percent

The proportion of the 20-24 year old population having attained at least a year 12 or equivalent qualification is calculated as the number of 20-24 year olds who self-identify as having attained a year 12 or equivalent qualification divided by the estimated population aged 20-24 years. The data is obtained from the ABS Survey of Education and Work (SEW). The 2012 SEW was conducted in May 2012 with the results released in November 2012. The 2012 outcome was 93.7 percent.

The measurement of this indicator at the ACT level using the SEW is to be discontinued nationally in the future due to the inability of the SEW to reliably measure change year on year at the jurisdiction level.

Action 2.7 Ensure that young people in schools at major transition points have a Pathways Plan

Targets:

• by 2014 all ACT students in years 6-12 will have or be engaged in pathways planning
• by 2014 all Canberra Institute of Technology (CIT) students under the age of 17 will have or be engaged in pathways planning
• by 2014 community agencies will use pathway plans with young people between the ages of 11-16 years

Pathways Planning encourages a cohesive approach to supporting the career development and transitions of young people across sectors. By the end of 2012, all students from years 6 to 12 in ACT schools, public and non-government, were engaged in the Pathways Planning process to support the transition through primary and secondary schooling. CIT students under the age of 17 have a Pathways Plan. Pathways Plans are also used by community agencies in the youth sector and by alternative educational settings.

Action 2.8 Enhance and develop schooling options for students who have difficulty engaging in regular secondary school settings

Target - Provide individualised program support to vulnerable secondary school aged students to engage with education and support students to transition to future schooling, training or work

The Directorate's support for high school students at risk has evolved and new models from 2012-2013 include a focus by Student Engagement at the network and school level.

Schools are working more closely within their local communities and new initiatives in 2012 and 2013 reflect this change. These new initiatives include Network Student Engagement Teams and Targeted Support Teams working with each school network in providing wrap around multidisciplinary services. These also include the flexible learning options run by the Directorate's Transitions and Careers Section under National Partnership funding.

Action 2.9 Provide Murrumbidgee Education and Training Centre in Bimberi Youth Justice Centre (ages 10-21)

Target - Provide ongoing education and training for all remand (for at least 5 days) and sentenced young people in Bimberi including programs that deliver a range of social, emotional and health objectives

Murrumbidgee Education and Training Centre provides a range of education and training options for young people in the Bimberi Youth Justice Centre. Students participate in literacy and numeracy skill development, art, woodwork, music and horticulture. Students also receive individual tutoring to support their literacy and numeracy skills. Students can also participate in vocational certificates depending on their interests. In 2012, 22 vocational certificates were awarded to students in the areas of business, fitness, horticulture and hospitality. Four students achieved a Year 10 Certificate and one student gained early entry to university. All students participated in the Respectful Relationships Program which provides a framework and explicit feedback for helping students to understand the impact of their behaviours on themselves, others and the environment.

Action 2.10 Provide the Youth Education Program

Target - Continue the provision of funding of Youth Education Program

The Directorate continued to fund the Youth Education Program for young people aged 15 to 19 years who have often experienced homelessness, family breakdown and trauma. The program provides an opportunity to gain a Year 10 and/or a Year 12 Certificate in an alternative education environment.

Action 2.11 Provide CCCares program for young carers, young mothers and young fathers

Target - Deliver alternative individualised programs enabling young carers, and young mothers and fathers to get year 10 and year 12 certification or vocational training for a better future for those who are at risk of not completing Year 10

The Canberra College Cares (CCCares) continues to run in partnership with ACT Health to provide education and support to young carers, parents and pregnant students in the ACT and surrounding districts. The CCCares program offers students year 12 certification, goal-oriented learning packages, online learning, vocational education and employability skills within a mainstream college context.

Action 2.12 Provide the Cottage to 12-18 year olds

Target - Deliver a therapeutic educational setting for young people with moderate to severe mental health issues

The Directorate provided a fulltime classroom teacher for the Cottage program located at Calvary Hospital. The Cottage is a day mental health facility run by ACT Health for adolescents with medium to severe mental health issues.

Objective 3 – creating a safer, more secure community – supporting victims of crime, making buildings and public places safer and ensuring cars are secure

Action 3.6 Promote property crime based safety and security awareness in schools

Targets:

• provide principals a school bulletin to coincide with school holidays and provide appropriate school staff with training on the use of electronic security systems
• provide reports to ACT Policing on school security incidents
• develop and establish awareness for school Business Managers on the new Security Incident Reporting policy and reporting requirements relating to property crime
• maintain incident management reporting through MAZE

To continue to promote property crime-based safety and security awareness, the Directorate implemented a number of initiatives for schools. Principals are provided with a school security checklist at the end of each school term and staff are trained in the use of the electronic security system provided by the Directorate's security monitoring provider (ADT). School Business Managers were made aware of the Security Incident and Reporting policy during 2012 and all security incidents in ACT public schools are reported directly to ACT Policing by the individual schools. Critical incidents that disrupt the operations of the school are also recorded in MAZE.

Action 3.7 Provide security patrols to schools

Target:

• schedule the targeted Holiday Patrol Program for each school holiday period
• identify the number of schools participating in the Targeted Holiday Patrol Program

The Directorate established School Holiday Targeted Patrol Programs to provide participant schools with random security patrols. In July 2012, 34 schools participated. In September-October this number increased to 35. Twenty-six schools participated in the December-January 2012-13 School Holiday Program.

Action 3.8 Review school security standards and improve school security through installation of new security measures or upgrades of existing measures

Target:

• review minimum Standards for School Security annually
• report annually on the number of schools that have had lighting, security fencing and security systems installed and/or upgraded

All schools have an operating security system and any improvements to school security infrastructure is reported in the Annual Report through the Directorate's capital works management program.

Action 3.9 Improve data integrity and collection to determine the level of property crime in schools

Target:

• report on property crime in the ACT public schools submitted to the Directorate's Security and Emergency Management Committee
• provide reports to ACTP on school security incidents

To improve property crime data collection and integrity the Security and Emergency Management Committee receives a report on property crime in each ACT public school at each scheduled meeting. The Directorate liaises closely with ACT Policing to discuss significant security incidents in schools, school security and crime prevention strategies.

For more information contact
Director
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Education and Student Engagement
(02) 6205 9325