Skip to content
For Government & Policy Makers

EVIDENCE FOR
BETTER POLICY

Australia's youth justice system costs billions and makes outcomes worse. We provide the evidence, connections, and tools to shift investment toward what actually works.

The Current State of Youth Justice

The numbers tell a story of systemic failure. Detention doesn't reduce crime— it manufactures adult criminals at enormous cost to taxpayers.

$7.7B
Annual youth justice spending
Mostly on detention that increases reoffending
24x
Indigenous overrepresentation
First Nations kids are 24 times more likely to be detained
$1.1M
Per child, per year
Cost of detention compared to $50K for community programs
78%
Reoffending rate
Detention makes outcomes worse, not better

What Actually Works

Community-led programs consistently outperform detention. These aren't pilot projects, they're established programs with years of outcome data.

Groote Eylandt Cultural Healing

NT
95% crime reduction in 3 years
Approach: Community-controlled cultural programs

Bourke Justice Reinvestment

NSW
23% reduction in custody
Approach: Redirecting justice spending to community

BackTrack Youth Works

NSW
87% success rate
Approach: Education and employment pathways

Oonchiumpa

NT
95% reduced anti-social behavior
Approach: On-country programs, cultural mentoring

How JusticeHub Supports Government

We bridge the gap between community expertise and government capacity, providing the evidence base for transformational policy.

ALMA Evidence System

Access our intelligence platform mapping effective interventions across Australia with cost-benefit analysis and outcome data.

Explore ALMA

Policy Briefs

Research-backed policy recommendations for youth justice reform, tailored to your jurisdiction's context and challenges.

View Research

Community Connections

Direct introductions to community organizations delivering proven outcomes, ready for partnership or commissioning.

Meet Partners

Impact Measurement

Frameworks and tools for measuring what matters, outcomes, not outputs, in youth justice programs.

Learn More

The Case for Justice Reinvestment

Justice Reinvestment redirects funding from incarceration to community-based interventions that address the drivers of crime. It's not soft on crime, it's smart on crime.

$1.1M
Per child detained
Redirect to
22 kids
In community programs

The Bourke Model

In Bourke, NSW, justice reinvestment achieved a 23% reduction in custody while creating 50+ local jobs and saving the state millions. The model is now being replicated across Australia, with JusticeHub helping to connect and scale effective approaches.

Ready to Transform Youth Justice?

Schedule a briefing with our team. We'll share jurisdiction-specific data, connect you with community partners, and help develop evidence-based policy.